A father's Influence
by Sophiepicklegirl
Summary: Helen comes to her senses, but is she in time? Babe. Rating has changed due to sexual innuendo and adult themes.
1. Chapter 1

Helen sat thinking about her life over a cup of coffee in her kitchen, enjoying the calm before the storm that this day of all days would bring.

Thinking about the journey her own daughter was about to embark made her reminisce about her own voyage of discovery. She'd been studious at school and that she wanted to train to become a nurse but everything had changed when she caught the eye of a young Frank Plum when she'd just turned 19.

She remembered how they'd spotted each other across the floor at a dance she'd been talked into attending by her father, Harry, who wanted her to settle down and have a stable all Burg life, just like his and Edna's had been. He hadn't seen the need for her to get any more education, after all, Edna left school at 14 and it had never done her any harm, he'd argued.

With a bit of encouragement from her father, she'd allowed Frank to woo her and bit by bit she'd changed and eventually had even given up all her childhood hopes and dreams. It had been a decision that took many sleepless nights to reach but she'd made with a happy heart as it was right outcome for her - in the times in which she grew up.

She gave up the idea of becoming a nurse.

She gave up her bookish ways.

She became the perfect Burg housewife.

Hell, she'd even learned to cook pot roast!

In time, she gave Frank two wonderful daughters – Val who was a carbon copy of who she had become, thanks to her own father's influence, and Steph who had turned into the woman Helen had always assumed she would be when she first started day dreaming. Before Frank, before marriage, before responsibility in the form of a house and children.

Looking back in spite of everything, it had been the right thing for her. She still loved Frank fiercely and knew that her life had been fulfilling because of what they had done together, but every now and then she thought back to what might have been and she would smile indulgently as she thought about her dreams of long ago. A little part of her slightly sad that she couldn't have had Frank, the girls and a career.

Swirling her nearly empty coffee cup she suddenly realised how much she'd given up because of her own father. Even thought it had worked out perfectly for her, times were different now, except in the Burg. Did she really want the same limited options for Stephanie that she'd had?

"Goddamnit no!" She hissed as she struck the table with her open hand.

Standing up, a grim look of determination spreading across her face as a light bulb went off, Helen Plum knew what she had to do.

The thought frightened her, but she realised she had only one chance at changing history so that it didn't repeat itself and make Stephanie change into something she wasn't and today was the only day she could make it happen.

And there was only only place she could do it.

o0o0o0o0o

Ranger stood next to Tank watching the bride walk up the aisle towards the future he should have had. All of her friends were there, Lula and Connie were bridesmaids, Lester, Ram, Hector, Bobby, hell, half of Rangeman and a few skips were there too, swelling her side of the church.

She looked nervous and tentative, the groom glanced over at him looking smug – as if he had won and his expression didn't alter as he returned his eyes to his approaching bride. Ranger knew that if it had been him standing there the look would have been one of adoration and amazement at the sight coming to meet with him. Steph was not a prize to be fought over - she was flesh and blood with feelings and a huge heart - she was someone to cherish and protect.

His heart broke a little more.

"We don't have to be here, man" Tank whispered softly, breaking into his thoughts.

"Yeah, I do." Came the tense reply. He'd backed out mentally so many times but some masochistic urge had compelled him to be there. To see for himself what he was giving up.

And just in case she'd decided to run away with him instead...

The priest's voice broke into his dark thoughts "And if anyone here present knows of any reason why these people should not be joined in matrimony then let them speak now."

"Go on, Cuz, tell her, run away with her. We've got your back." Lester begged in his other ear. But he couldn't do it – he knew Helen would disown her daughter if he did. That her face would not be welcome ever again in Trenton. No, he couldn't do that to her so he just sat, dejected as the love of his life got ready to say her vows.

He'd had his chance and he'd blown it.

He shook his head sadly and waited for the priest to continue. Just as Father Peter glanced back at his bible and adjusted his glasses a voice rang out.

"I do!" screamed a female from in front of him.

An inaudible gasp swept through the congregation.

Helen stood up. "I don't think they should be married."

The atmosphere was so tense and it hung in the air so heavily that the whole audience forgot to breathe.

"Look at him" She sneered as she pointed at Morelli who looked surprised, then angry, then 'busted' at her accusation. "He looks like the winner of a race, not a man about to embrace his future with the woman that he loves at his side."

"But he" she went on, now pointing at Ranger "looks as if his world has just collapsed, as if part of him has just died."

Ranger blinked in astonishment as all heads turned at looked at him.

"So? You may say" Helen continued "the bride made her choice? Didn't she? Well, yes. But only because she was worn down by a meddling mother and an overbearing boyfriend. She'll never be happy with the life she's about to have. She will die slowly inside as her dreams are eroded by the Burg and its expectations. She was not born for this and I realise that now."

Steph registered what her mother was doing. In front of the whole Burg universe, she was giving her a get out clause.

For years her mother had tried to force her into accepting the life she'd lived and finally she'd caved into the pressure and accepted Joe's hand. Well, that and the fact that the last psycho who'd kidnapped her for three terrifying days had scared the crap out of her.

Stephanie stood facing Joe and let a tear slide down her face as she picked up Joe's hand and kissed his knuckles. Passing him her bouquet she whispered "I'm so sorry, Joe" as she turned and fled into the vestry, her father hot on her heels.

**Please reveiw - should I continue with this one?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Guess you want me to continue, huh?**

**Thanks so much for your wonderful reviews - keep 'em coming...**

**;o)**

Oblivious to the sounds that erupted violently behind her, Steph raced into the quiet calm of the vestry of the Immaculate Conception and absorbed its quiet strength as her father's heavy footsteps echoed across the wooden floor, gaining in volume as he rushed to her side.

"You ok? Pumpkin?" he asked nervously as he watched his youngest daughter crumple into a heap of satin and lace.

"Never better" she whispered out as tears wove their way down her cheek and onto the intricate fabric of her gown.

"It'll be ok, Honey" he said as he knelt down and scooped her into his solid embrace, stroking her hair as her sobs echoed round the sacred walls.

o0o0o0o0o

Ranger stared, immobile in horror as the finality of Helen's words sank in and the church, which moments before had been serene, erupted into an angry, confused and seething mass as people stood up and tried to get closer to the main characters in the scene or voice their opinion.

Joe was pacing, one of his hands running amok through his now tangled hair while the other clutched a rapidly diminishing bouquet of red and white flowers. Mooch and Big Dog were trying to calm him as periodically he stopped to wave his arms around in anger, frustration and utter surprise.

Lula and Connie were trying to calm Grandma Mazur and the Klough tribe down and Tank was speaking to the priest trying to work out what the protocol was for such an occasion.

However, the real show was the one going on between the two Matriarchs.

"Are you out of your tiny mind?" Angela hissed loudly as she took up residence in Helen's personal space.

Thank God for my lip reading skills, Ranger thought. He'd not have heard the conversation, even from only a few feet away but his skills gave him a ring side seat. He crossed his arms over his chest and took up parade rest to watch the show.

Helen took a deep breath before replying. "I've never been more sane in all my life." She replied calmly. "In fact, I think this is the first time I've really stopped and taken a look at life through someone else's eyes and I have to say I don't like the scenario we nearly created today."

"Explain?" Angela asked, looking confused "They were due to be married and right they should have been saying their vows" she said as she squinted at her watch, wishing she'd got her glasses on. "But oh no, the great Helen Plum has spoken and she will be obeyed! Well you know how to pick your moments! What will our neighbours think? Mia-Bella Cantano's daughter didn't stand her groom up at the altar..."

"Just listen to yourself!" Helen snapped angrily as she stopped Angela mid tirade. "You know as well as I do that we both pushed them into this! They should no more be married than I be the President of America! They are really good friends, but how many marriages happen after 18 breakups. That's right, that's how many times I've been informed by the Burg grapevine of the demise of their relationship!"

Angela blinked, clearly dumbfounded "18?" she said, thoughtfully, the cogs clearly turning in her head.

"Yeah"

"Good friends, you say?"

"Yeah."

"Can we still eat the cake and have the party?"

"Yeah."

"You're a good woman, Helen and far, far braver than I." Angela conceded with a wry smirk.

"Yeah." Said Helen, grinning "How about we go smooth over some cracks?"

"Yeah" came the stunned reply "Are you really sure? 18?"

"Yeah."

Ranger stood, mesmerised, as the two women pulled back their shoulders, linked arms and went to face the music.

o0o0o0o0o

It was over half an hour later that Steph finally stopped crying. As she dehydrated her cries had become less and less vocal and by the end she was barely snivelling.

Her gown and her father's jacket bore the brunt of her distress.

"Time to go, Pumpkin." Frank said as he coaxed her up off the floor.

"I can't go out there..."

"It's ok, Joe and most of the others have left. In fact most of them are having a sort of wedding party but without the bride and groom as we speak." He chuckled gently as he stroked her now ruined up-do, trying to put a couple of the curls back where they belonged.

Steph looked confused as she studied him with her tear stained, blotchy face.

"Your Mom popped her head round about 15 minutes ago and I figured it out from her gestures. Bet you didn't know your Mom could do the twist, did you?"

Steph snorted, hiccupped and stifled a giggle as she imagined her mother in her wedding finery bumping and grinding like a teenager with Grandma Mazur.

"That's my girl" Frank said as he kissed her hair and led her back out into the now silent nave.

Father Peter rose from the front pew to meet them and took Steph's hands in his own.

"Are you going to be alright, my child? That was a very brave thing that you did."

"Yeah. Well. I've a lot of bridges to rebuild, but I'll survive. I don't feel very brave at the moment but thank you for your kind words anyway."

"I understand" the cleric replied "If you need me, you know where I am, ok?"

"Thank you, Father." Steph replied before pulling her hands back from his and quickly exiting the building, picking up a single battle scarred red rose as she went.

Frank nodded silently to the priest, who returned the gesture, before heading off to catch up with his daughter.

o0o0o0o0o

As they stepped out into the glaring sunshine, a single figure stepped out of the shadows.

"Babe, you ok?" the man asked opening his arms to allow her to step into his embrace and steal his strength.

"Not right now, but I will be." She answered truthfully.

"Good to know" he replied softly, placing a chaste kiss into her hair before he pulled back.

"Morelli?"

"Don't think we'll recover this time"

"That's not what I meant" he said, smiling sadly as he tipped her chin up so that he could look at her properly.

"I know. But it's a horrible time to come to your senses" she replied, looking down and blushing before leaning back into his chest.

"I think after the damage I've caused I need to get away to sort myself out and work out where I go from here." She added carefully.

"I have a spare apartment in Miami if you need to hide out for a while." He said gently.

"Sounds great. But I'm not sure I need the complication..." She said as she stepped back and gave him a watery smile.

"Don't worry, it's not one of mine, it's one of Rangeman's safe houses so no-one outside the core team will know where you are, unless you want to tell them, that is."

"Sounds great. Guess I need to go visit Mom and get my act together." Steph added as fresh tears began to fall.

"It'll be ok, Steph, really it will." Ranger said reassuringly before pulling back and handing her back to her father.

A quick nod as he was gone, leaving a father and his daughter to make their way home.

As they pulled away from the church, Frank driving, Steph broke the silence.

"Have I done the right thing, Daddy?" she asked as she fiddled with the rose petals that now lay scattered across her lap.

"Only you know the answer to that one." he said, wryly, throwing a quick glance in her direction. "All I know for sure is that if your mother felt it necessary to stand up and denounce the Burg in all its glory in such a spectular way she must have had some bloody good reasons."

Steph nodded, not sure what to say in reply.

"I think what you need is a good night's sleep, several donuts and then a very long talk with your Mother." He added, a sense of finality in his voice.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews. This story is far from over but this chapter has a lot of action, so fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the ride.**

**R & R as ever, makes my day. ;o)**

Steph lay in the dark surrounded by her teenage life as fear clawed away at her insides, threatening to consume her as the streetlamp outside cast shadows across the posters of Michael Jackson and Madonna, giving them a life of their own. She felt cocooned and safe, yet on a knife's edge, much like the night she hooked up with Joe at the Tasty Pastry. So much had changed that night too.

The only sound she could hear was that of her father snoring from across the hallway. She smiled wryly. How her Mother coped with that noise every night she'd never comprehend. That's what came of marrying someone and believing in your wedding vows she thought as a large tear pooled, then trickled, down her face. She rolled over and let her pillow soak up the water as she tried to forget the events of the day.

She should be on her way to Hawaii for her honeymoon right now with a good man who she should have spent the next 50 years looking after. The thought of looking after anyone worried her and although part of her was dying at the thought of the hurt she'd inflicted on Joe, part of her was doing a happy dance that she was not Mrs Morelli.

Not having to be the woman he wanted her to be.

She looked over at her wedding dress which now hung on the back of her closet door carefully and lovingly left there before she'd taken a long and very thoughtful bath.

Something compelled her to go over and run her hands down the fabric and as she was having very little success with the sleep thing, she climberd out of bed and went over to it. As she looked at the bodice, covered in a delicate white lace covered in tiny seed pearls and crystals she noticed a thread sticking out of the side seam. She gave it a gentle pull and the stitching on the bodice started to give. With morbid fascination she pulled a little harder and several of the tiny adornments fell to the floor, skittering happily in all directions as if pleased to have been released from their bindings. Gently she pulled again and another length of stitching unravelled, a complete section's worth of beads joined their partners on the floor. Another tear pooled and fell from her eye – perhaps this was indicative of what her life with Joe would have been. Seemingly perfect but likely to fall apart with a little bit of pressure.

She carefully crept back to bed and lay, listening to her father as sleep continued to evade her. She'd deal with the floor's contents in the morning.

O0o0o0o0o

"Shh, Mother! Quiet!" Helen said loudly once the taxi had deposited her and her mother on the sidewalk outside her house.

"It's not me making all the noise!" came the loud and crabby reply.

The two women, shoes in hand, tottered unsteadily up the path towards the house.

Suddenly there was a loud whoomph as Grandma Mazur fell over into a bush.

"Mother?" Are you OK?" Helen said thickly as two images of the offending plant, complete with a pair of chicken legs sticking out from the middle of it, stared up at her.

"Think I'll just stay here for the night, quite comfy you know."

"Mother! What will the neighbours think?" came Helen's shocked retort.

"That's what got us into this mess in the first place." Edna replied tartly "I'll see you in the morning. Don't wait up!" she added, and started to giggle.

Helen shook her head and immediately wished she hadn't as her world started to spin. Taking a big breath to calm her she weaved unevenly towards the house.

o0o0o0o0o

Ranger stared out of the hotel window, the night sky twinkling in blissful ignorance of the chaos that the largest near wedding of the year had created. He was happy that it had all gone wrong. In fact the mercenary in him was gloating at the spectacular way his adversary had been thwarted but a little bit of him felt for the enemy. Joe was not a bad man, just not the right one for his Babe. That said, could he step up to the plate or should he continue with his no relationship stance even though he realised that now everyone knew about his feelings?

Part of him was glad that he had been 'outed' in such a public way. Part of him should have been pissed at the intrusion into his private life. Part of him was just sad, but he couldn't quite work out why.

Soft arms reached round his neck and pulled him in back into a very warm and willing body. "Come back to Bed, lover. I'll make you forget her" the soft voice crooned. He groaned as his body reacted to the promise in the woman's voice.

Turning round he playfully kissed her ear and lifted her up. In reply she wrapped her legs round his waist as he carried her back to the bed.

Steph may have been in drug of choice, but he had needs and Amy was more than happy to scratch his itch – no strings attached.

Like him, she didn't do relationships.

o0o0o0o0o

Helen successfully navigated the front door with its cheeky little lock but tripped up the first couple of stairs and nearly planted her face in the hall carpet. Catching herself she swore loudly under her alcohol-laden breath then picked up her shoes again. Squinting at them for a few seconds she decided it was all their fault and she threw dropped them over the edge of the banister where they crashed loudly onto the wooden floor.

"Shh!" Helen stage whispered crossly as she glared at them before grabbing the wooden rail and hauling herself up the stairs.

Steph heard the commotion and went to investigate.

"You ok, Mom?" she said as she aided her clearly paralytic mother up the last few steps.

"You and I need a definite talk." Helen slurred out, jabbing at her daughter's chest before pulling her into a big hug. "But right now I need a large glass of sleep and plenty of water. See you tomorrow, maybe." She said with a serious look on her face before staggering off into her bedroom.

Steph grinned at her mother's antics. Part of her wanted to grab her phone and get some blackmail material but her stomach complained at the thought of losing pineapple upside down rights, so reluctantly she went back to bed and eventually fell asleep.

o0o0o0o0o

Joe sat on the plane, rolling a glass of Jack Daniels thoughtfully. What a day of contrasts!

Here he was, nearly but not married heading off to his honeymoon on his own while his mother and the mother of his almost bride partied the night away and ate the cake Steph had spent hours deliberating over.

Dawn was just breaking over the horizon and he took a deep breath then a large swig.

"Everything ok, sir?" the red headed hostess who's badge told him she was called Tiffany asked him, giving him an innocent smile. He nodded and she made to move away. "You all alone?" she asked, her innocent smile starting to change into something else as she cocked her head to one side ever. So. Slightly.

"Sort of" he replied, watching as the smile on her face started to fade. ."Why don't you sit down and I'll tell you all about it." He added, patting the Steph-less seat next to him. "I'm going on my honeymoon" he added pointedly.

She smiled again as understanding hit.

Perhaps the new dawn was a sign and maybe red heads were more him he thought as Tiffany gracefully sank into the large leather seat that only first class provided. "Just for a minute, you understand." She added, looking round to make sure none of the other passengers needed her help, but all of them were fast asleep.

o0o0o0o0o

Chambersburg woke to the sounds of traffic noise and bells as people were called to church.

Anyone entering the Church of the Immaculate Conception would not see any reminder of what had taken place the previous day. There were no wedding flowers or orders of service or even confetti to show for the months of planning that had taken place. The walls were still silent and calm and outside as usual, a few birds sang their hearts out, trying to compete with the chimes.

But everyone knew. Expectation hung in the air. Father Peter squared his shoulders and started the 8.00 service as if nothing had happened. Everything as usual. And perhaps it was...

o0o0o0o0o

"Anna, can you ready my beach house, please?"

"Sure thing, Ranger, when for?"

"Don't know, could be today, might be in a week's time. Just check it over and wait for further instructions. I'll need it fully stocked for one. Lots of Junk food please, especially Ben and Jerrys."

"Sure."

"Oh, and one more thing."

"?"

"No one is to know that the beach house is mine, ok?"

Ranger came off the phone, startled to see Tank standing just inside the door.

"You heard?"

"Yeah."

"And?"

"My lips are sealed."

o0o0o0o0o

Helen Plum stirred groggily and looked over at the night stand. She smiled sweetly at the sight that greeted her.

Thank God for her Frank! She thought, smiling as she reached for the bag with the golden arches on it. It was their little secret, even when they were dating he'd known about the hang over cure.

Smiling, she tucked into the salty goodness before inhaling the sugary, bubbly liquid in one long draw.

Half an hour later, and feeling much better, she balled up the evidence then got up to face her daughter.

**I promise the next chapter will be the one with the talk - I just needed to set a few scenes. Hope you enjoyed it!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Guess you didn't like Ranger stepping out on Steph, huh? Well hello! She was about to marry his arch rival – don't you think he's entitled to a bit of happy too? **

**Anyway, all will become clear as to what they're all thinking...**

Steph was sitting at the kitchen table, half way through a cup of coffee and a long way down a list she was compiling when her Grandmother came in through the front door.

"Grandma?" Steph asked as she heard the old woman's familiar wheeze and the sounds of a pair of shoes being dropped on the lounge carpet with a dull thud. "You ok?" she asked again, getting up from her chair to investigate.

Nervously sticking her head round the corner she found her Grandmother sitting on the bottom stair, in her wedding finery looking a lot dishevelled and with dark green leaves and a few old twigs sticking out from her hair

"What happened, Grandma?" Steph asked as she crouched down to check her over, noticing a large muddy mark on her cheek.

"The best non-wedding reception I've attended. Hell, it was the best party I ever attended - ever. What a pip!"

Steph hid a grin as she looked at her mad relation. "Let's get you upstairs and cleaned up, shall we?" she said gently as she grabbed a wrinkled arm and draped it round her shoulder. After several attempts she managed to get a giggling septuagenarian up onto her feet. Half way up the stairs they nearly tumbled as Edna was cackling so hard she nearly pulled her over as she recalled the events of the evening before.

"... and Marjorie Belmont did the splits right in front of..."

Steph rolled her eyes and pulled her up the remaining stairs determined to get her into her bedroom. As they turned the corner they bumped into Frank who'd just left his bedroom he helped get the still drunk reprobate into her room.

"Can I have a word, please Pumpkin?" Frank asked once all the excitement had calmed down and Edna was tucked into bed.

"Sure Daddy."

"Follow me" he said as he led her downstairs and to a cupboard in the dining room "I have something to show you" he added as he reached in and pulled out a box full of photo albums and age old memories which he picked up and carried carefully to the table.

"Just need to find... ah, here we are." He said as he held up a small pristine book. The cover was white with the caduceus emblazoned in dark blue at the top. Just below it were the words "Modern Nursing Practices – for today's woman". He passed it to her and she looked at the title before giving him a questioning look.

"I gave that to you Mother on our six month anniversary. She never did open it and part of me always wondered why she'd sacrifice all her dreams for me. I never really understood until yesterday what a truly remarkable woman your Mom is. I think it's time to give her this book again, but I think you need to do it." He said as she took her hands and slowly folded her fingers round the slim volume.

Steph just nodded.

The air was thick with emotion and silent for a few moments before they both heard footsteps.

"Go, Pumpkin. Talk to your Mother." He added as he stood up and kissed her curls before putting the box away again and heading out, taxi keys in hand.

Steph hugged the book to her chest and went back into the kitchen to get her head round the conversation she'd just had and the one that was imminent.

o0o0o0o0o

Joe woke to find himself alone, hoping that the last 24 hours had been some weird and horrible nightmare and that he hadn't just been made to look like a total ass wipe in front of the whole 'Burg nation. Listening, hopefully, for her to make a sound in the bathroom of the opulent, light and spacious beach hut they'd selected together he realised that he really was alone and that he really wasn't married to... He sighed and turned over into his thinking position (yep, he has one too) and contemplated his life.

It would have been foolish to have called Stephanie 'the love of his life' because deep in his heart he knew that she wasn't, probably never had been. But she'd been a part of his life for so long it had just felt like the right thing to do, getting married, that is.

Theirs had been an open and upbeat relationship all the time they'd been dancing round each other, but as soon as they'd started to plan the wedding things had changed. He could see that the playfulness had gone. The thrill and wonder had faded away. All replaced by the unspoken understanding that this was to be their life – one of caring _for_ rather than _about_ each other.

Damned if Helen hadn't been right and that he had been caught up in the thrill of the chase and the knowledge that he'd won the prize. That he'd beaten that smug, self righteous SOB and gotten the girl.

He smiled as he thought about the harmless flirting he'd done with Tiffany but in his heart he'd known that it would never have gone any further than a bit of banter on an otherwise boring flight. The younger version of himself would have gladly taken her to the Mile High Club, but then again the younger version of himself had very different priorities. He still wanted to settle down, but the fiasco at the Church of the Immaculate Conception had made him realise a few things. He didn't want the fights that went with ignoring Stephanie's needs and wants.

He needed someone who wanted to settle down now, or at least soon, and make a family with him. Not someone he could mould into that role. And that's what he would have done, bit by bit, inch by inch, the woman he thought he loved would have been diminished and replaced with an ideal that he created. That was not right for either of them.

He wondered what Stephanie (he couldn't see him referring to her as Cupcake anymore - that time was now passed) was doing right now. Part of him was sad for how it had ended, but part of him was relieved that the most unlikely person had driven them apart and right now he would have gladly kissed his never to be Mother-in-Law!

Thinking over, he climbed out of the oversize four poster colonial bed in search of a shower, some food and a bit of sunshine.

He'd call his mother later to find out what had happened since he'd boarded the plane, but right now that world was far away and he needed time to get his head round what had just happened.

o0o0o0o0o

Tank nodded to the control room as he exited the elevator and headed to his office, shutting the door behind him and settling himself on his sofa. He never shut the door unless he didn't want to be disturbed and right now he did _not_ want to be disturbed.

Glancing up at the clock he did a mental head shake as he ran his hands over his bald head. It was 1215 and already he was exhausted. Ric had given off so many mixed messages in the past 24 hours that he wasn't sure if he was coming or going any more. Once he'd understood his best friend, but now, not so much.

He closed his eyes and leaned forward, resting his upper arms on his thighs and thought back to their final conversation of yesterday.

_FLASHBACK:_

"_Tank, I'm outta here. Don't call me, I won't answer."_

_Tank gave Ranger a hard look "You're off to see Amy, aren't you?" His blank face may have been in place but his voice was laced with contempt._

"_And? It's no concern of yours, '_Pierre'_ so just drop it, ok?" Ranger growled back, emphasising his given name._

"_I don't get it! You could be consoling Bomber right now, but no, instead you're off whoring it with that..."_

"_Enough!" Ranger roared "It's nothing to do with you anyway. If things had gone according to plan right now Stephanie would have been out of my life forever and I wasn't going to hang around like a love sick puppy wanting the impossible."_

"_Amy's a distraction, no more - that's not fair and you know it!" Tank spat out "I thought you cared about something more than your own selfish pride. Guess I was wrong. You're no better than Morelli."_

_END OF FLASHBACK:_

What he couldn't reconcile was how Ric could have been so 'outed' at the church yet in the bed of a different woman a few hours later, then this morning making arrangements for Bomber to stay in his personal beach house for an undefined period.

He knew Ric loved Stephanie, it had been evident from the moment they'd all met her she was going to be in it for the long haul. But why not step up to the plate and deal with his feelings once and for all? That made absolutely no fucking sense, after all he was being given a golden opportunity - one that the mercenary in him should have been desperate to take advantage of.

He looked up from the steel grey carpet and spotted Les walking past his internal window. Maybe he could shed some light on what their moronic boss and partner was really thinking because quite frankly, he had no fucking idea.

o0o0o0o0o

Almost as soon as Steph had sat down and picked up her coffee cup, Helen walked into the kitchen.

"Hi Mom" Steph said, carefully, not really knowing what to say.

"Hi Sweetheart." Her mother replied "You missed one hell of a party last night!" she added slightly too brightly.

"Yeah, so it would seem." Steph said glumly.

"Oh Sweetheart, I'm so sorry that things didn't work out between you and Joe, but I had to stop you both making a terrible mistake."

"Great timing, though, Mom! Couldn't you have reached this conclusion ... say 6 months ago?"

"If I'd stepped in then, you'd still be yo-yoing back and forth. Really the only way to end things for absolutely the last time was by doing what I did yesterday. I'm really sorry, but it was for your own good!" she said pleadingly.

Steph snorted. "Mom!"

Helen sat down, grabbing the table for support as she leant forward "Please, sweetheart, hear me out before you condemn me, okay?"

"K"

"When I met your father I had dreams, lots of them. I was going to be nurse, I was going to live an independent life, I'd even looked at a couple of apartments. Bet you didn't know I couldn't cook – I made a mean ham sandwich but my Mom, your Grandma, was the provider – I just turned up and ate what was put in front of me. In many ways I was just like you.

"Trouble is, Grandpa Harry didn't think it was right for me to behave like that. He'd encourage me to be more like my own Mom. I resisted, hell, by the time I was 18 most of my friends were married and pregnant and I didn't even have a steady boyfriend.

"Then your Dad came along and he was everything I wanted. Tall, good looking, kind. He looked after me and encouraged me to follow my heart. Trouble was, my heart was out there seeking adventure yet desperate to be married to him at the same time. I too had a love triangle in my life but mine was caused by the times in which I grew up rather than two men." She reached over and grabbed her daughter's hand and gave it a soft squeeze. Steph smiled a little and squeezed right back.

"My Dad wanted me to give up my dreams and sat me down over a milkshake at the diner one day to explain why. Your Grandmother was busy cooking our dinner so he knew she could have no influence over what he was about to tell me." Helen gave Steph a wry smile.

"I guess he thought he was being sneaky, but many years later Edna told me she'd known all along but knew he'd have collared me for a 'chat' at some point anyway so let him say his piece. Guess I just needed someone to explain the ways of the world and that's what he did.

"He told me that I could always go back and revisit my career dreams at a later date, but that men like your Dad don't come around too often. He knew that I was torn, but pointed out that if my marriage was a solid one, Frank would understand my need to change direction once my own kids had flown the nest.

"That night I asked your father to marry me."

"Mom!"

"Yeah! And it wasn't even a leap year!" Helen giggled as she recalled what happened next. "Your father didn't know what to do – after all the man usually asked the father's permission before asking the daughter for her hand. Once Frank had said yes, we agreed that he would go ask my Dad and then I'd pretend I knew nothing about it when he popped the question a couple of nights later at a cute little Italian restaurant." She suddenly sobered as she looked at Steph.

"I was lying in bed yesterday morning and something hadn't felt quite right. I wasn't sure if I'd eaten something that had disagreed with me at the rehearsal dinner, but then it hit me. You shouldn't be getting married, at least not to Joe.

"Over the past few weeks I've seen you fade away. Not due to the stress of organising the wedding but almost as if you were resigned to your fate. I know you would have had a good marriage with Joe, but it would not have been a balanced one. You'd have been made to make the same choice as I was, but the difference these days is that you can have your man and your dreams but Joe would not have allowed that. He needs someone to become a housewife and mother and that person is so not you.

"I love your Dad and every day I'm glad I made the decisions that I did. I'm not sure your father understands my logic but in my heart of hearts I regret nothing. But you? You shouldn't have to tear yourself in half the way I had to. I may not like your choice of career, but I respect that it's a part of you.

"Go out, take the world by the horns and ride that pony... Is that right? Hell, you know what I mean!" she added laughing.

"Maybe Ranger is the man for you, he certainly seems more likely to let you be yourself. Maybe it's someone else, but I don't think it's Joe and last night, after a couple of bottles of wine, I gave a speech at your reception, with Angela Morelli by my side explaining that."

"Mom!"

"Put it this way, I think you'll be ok and the gossip mongers will leave you alone."

"Not so sure I'll get out of this in one piece though" she added to herself. Knowing that Angela was also going to have a hard time, but that's what Mom's were there for, she thought. To protect their children.

"Mom?" Steph said softly, breaking into her thoughts. "Have I ever told you how much I love you?" she asked as she rushed round the table and gave her Mom a big hug.

"I have a little something you might have forgotten about" she added as she held up the book Frank had given her earlier. "I think it's time we both got our dreams, don't you?"

Helen made a sobbing sound as she took the book from her daughter as a large tear fell down her face. "Where did you find it?" she whispered.

"Let's just say your biggest fan thinks we both need to fly."


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews. Hope this next chapter does not disappoint...**

**Please R & R, even though I don't get a chance to thank you all individually, you really made me one very happy author (and I type faster)**

**;o)**

Ranger looked out of his internal office window and saw Tank's disappearing form.

"Suits me" he thought darkly. Right now he didn't want to see or talk to his best friend. Couldn't Tank see he was in turmoil? Oh yeah! The big black fucker had never been in love, so what would he know? He thought petulantly.

He sat back grumpily in his chair and pretended to focus on something on his computer screen, in reality he was staring at nothing as his jumbled thoughts took over.

Why am I so confused? He pondered. I don't know what to do for the best – I mean I know I love Steph but am I ready for a forever type relationship? His heart leapt at the thought but he mentally jumped up and down a few times on the little flickering, hopeful flame and snorted to himself – he still had his Government contract to fulfil. It just wouldn't be fair, after all he got paid the big bucks for taking the big risks, Lady Luck had always been on his side, but one day she may turn her back on him.

He could not and would not break her heart by not returning one day. He couldn't do that to her, she was far too precious.

He pretended to do some work as his thoughts unfurled further.

His relationship with Amy was simple – in every sense. No strings, no deep unfulfilled emotions, no hassle.

She did not light his fire the way Steph did but she understood. She knew he only wanted her body, not the rest of her and that once they both satisfied their basic needs they would both go their separate ways as usual. He knew he was not her only lover but she was his one distraction from the lonely life he'd created for himself. And that suited him just fine.

He also knew he could not treat Steph in the same frivolous way. She was not a toy to be played with, she was far too precious.

And therein lay the problem, well that and the fact that she held all the power in their relationship in her small but perfectly formed hands.

Good job she had no idea of how much power she held. His cock twitched and his heart stuttered. Mentally he slapped himself upside his head – now was not the time to indulge in his dreams – he still had a Government contract...

He sighed as his perennial excuse reared its ugly head again. He knew he was fooling no-one and after Helen's timely disclosure of his feelings in front of the whole 'Burg he knew he was really only trying to fool himself. Perhaps his Babe had rubbed off on him – he had a season ticket to Denial Land too, just he hadn't told anyone that he knew the way.

Truth be told, Amy was his insurance policy. He hadn't meant to bounce one way then the other on Steph's wedding day – but he'd arranged things with Amy weeks before. He knew that he'd need a distraction when he lost the love of his life to that idiot Morelli. Sure, he'd wanted to be there to see for himself that she'd finally gone through with it. In some sort of masochistic way he'd thought he'd be free of her charms. He just hadn't expected the ceremony to turn on its head as it had, but then again, he realised, neither had any of the other key players in the day's events.

Even when it became obvious that the wedding was not going to happen he'd run away. Back to his distraction. Having Amy waiting expectantly for him prevented him from being the pity fuck or worse still, from taking advantage of Steph's fragile emotional state. It would have been too easy to comfort her, hold her, let her cry on his shoulder, soothe her... But where would that have gotten them both?

He cared too much to do that to her, she was far too precious.

If and when he decided to give 'them' a chance he would make love to Stephanie and show her how he really felt about her, not screw with her mind as well as her body. And he knew that that's what could have happened last night. If Amy hadn't been there with her willing arms and open legs.

No. Using Amy as a substitute had been the right thing to do.

His thoughts moved to what the future could now hold. How he could still be there for Steph. What he had offered her yesterday in the cool shadows outside the Church of the Immaculate Conception.

If only Steph knew she had been offered the keys to the Batcave – even if it was a place of refuge for her to use on her own.

He smiled as his thoughts came round to his home. He'd never tell her and she did not need to know. If they ever had their someday, then he'd come clean. Only then...

He smiled as he imagined her reaction to the revelation.

o0o0o0o0o

Tank found Lester on the phone and knocked lightly on the door to his office before stepping over the threshold and closing it. Settling down in a chair he tapped his fingers together patiently and waited for him to finish.

"Wassup, bro?" Les asked, leaning back. He could tell by the big man's face he wasn't here in a work capacity.

"I don't get him, I really don't!" Tank gritted out "One minute he's pining for her, next he's fucking Amy all night, then booking her into the Batcave..."

"Woah, Big Man! Slow down! What are you talking about?"

"Your stupid half brother and his fucked up life, that's what!"

"So who's going to the Batcave?" Lester grinned mentally as he had done the first time he'd overheard Beautiful calling Ranger's home the Batcave in the Bonds Office. Only Bomber, he chuckled.

"Ok, here's the thing, I know Ranger has a soft spot for Bomber, hell we all do. It's just I think this is the real deal, not just a quick fuck behind the bike sheds kinda thing. But what happens? He gets the chance to make it right with her yesterday, but noooo, instead of scooping her up and running away with her, he sleeps with Amy. Next day, he's booking her into the Batcave."

"Amy?"

"?"

"Sorry, Tank, you're making no sense! Who's he booked into the Batcave?"

"Bomber! Christ, Santos, aren't you listening at all?" Tank said exasperatedly as he ran his large hands across his face.

"So, you're wondering why my brother doesn't get his head outta his ass, nail Steph and run off with her to his secret lair. Right?"

Tank nodded, please that Lester finally understood.

"You really haven't a clue, have you?" Lester chuckled out. "If you really cared for someone, would you want to be their back up plan?" He leant forward in his chair and waited for the penny to drop.

"But the Batcave?" Tank stuttered out.

"Best place to put something precious that's been hurt, I'd say. That way he knows she's safe. He gets to feel he's helping without interfering. She gets the star treatment without realising why. Win, win situation, wouldn't you agree?" He smiled evilly as a thought raced into his head. "Perhaps we could just help things along a bit by leaving her a few clues, dontcha think?" He steepled his fingers as he rested his elbows on his desk and waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Like you're thought processes, Santos." Came Tank's smug reply.

o0o0o0o0o

Steph finished compiling her long list and sighed. It was over two pages of actions she needed to carry out in order to get her life back on track.

She needed to apologise to Joe.

She needed a place to live.

She needed a place for Rex to live.

She needed to apologise to Joe.

She needed a job.

She needed to apologise to most of Trenton.

She needed...

She sighed again.

"How's it going, Pumpkin?" her father asked as he wandered into the kitchen in search of the TV listings guide.

"I don't know, Daddy. I need to apologise to half of Trenton, including Joe and his Mom. I need to find myself a place to live, I need a job oh and I have a whole pile of presents to return, but apart from that, everything's looking good. Oh except that I'm scared of facing the Burg right now." She added glumly.

"Give it a couple of days and the 'Burg will have a new piece of gossip to chew over, you'll see." He said, smiling. "Maybe you should take up Ranger's offer, Miami's kinda nice at this time of the year." He added, helpfully. "I think people will understand if you take off for a while, hell Joe sloped off to Hawaii on your honeymoon so why shouldn't you run away too!"

Steph eyed her father "You know what, you're right! And Ranger did say it was a Rangeman safe house so no-one could accuse me of anything."

For the first time since they'd started planning the damned wedding, he saw a small piece of his feisty daughter back and it pleased him. "Good for you, Pumpkin." He added, patting her shoulder as he picked up the magazine he needed then turned and left the room. A large grin that his daughter couldn't see was plastered all over his face. Safe house or not, she would associate it with Ranger and it would add to her positive feelings for him. He'd always liked the reserved young man and had always hoped he'd be the one sitting down to dinner at his table, not that overbearing cocky cop.

o0o0o0o0o

"Yo"

"Er, Hi Ranger"

"Babe"

"Is your offer still open. To use a safe house, that is?" Steph asked nervously.

"Babe"

"Shall I take that as a yes?" she asked equally as hesitantly.

"I'll get Baron, my opposite number in Miami to sort it out with Anna, his version of Ella."

"Thank you Ranger."

"No price Babe, remember?"

"Yeah, but thanks anyway."

"That's what friends are for. When do you want to go?"

"When can I go?"

"Tonight?"

"Wow! Actually tomorrow would be better if that's ok. I need to sort a few things out."

"Tomorrow is fine, I'll speak to Tank and sort out your flight. Any idea when you'll want to come back?"

"Is never too soon?"

"Babe!" Ranger chuckled.

"Perhaps you're right, but can I let you know once I'm there."

"Take as long as you like. It's not on the roster at the moment so you can stay indefinitely."

Ranger grinned to himself as he put the phone down. He allowed himself a few moments to be pleased with himself before he picked up the phone and dialled Rangeman Miami.

Once he'd taken care of Anna and Baron he went in search of Tank to get the jet sorted out. Stephanie Plum might be running away, but she'd be doing it in style.


	6. Chapter 6

**I love you all! Many thanks for sticking with this story – it's been so good to write. Not many more chapters to go, so buckle up and enjoy...**

**R&R as ever, you know you want to...**

Stepping off the Rangeman jet Steph shuddered as both the heat and realisation hit. Two days ago she walked away from the altar a single woman and she'd spent the rest of the time either planning her escape or thanking her lucky stars that Morelli was nearly five thousand miles away.

Ranger had helped her take her stuff to the airport and had loaded her onto the plane. Giving her a brief hug and a kiss to her forehead, he'd patted her butt and shoved her up the stairs, into the warm, 'first class all the way' interior.

His quick exit had made things easy for her and she thanked the Gods for his friendship. Once on board she'd even texted him to say thanks for all his help, again.

'No price, Babe.' He'd texted back.

She knew when she returned to Trenton she'd have to face Joe, but it would seem that her own Mother had smoothed over most of the troubled water between the Plum and Morelli clans. And to top it all, would have guessed Angela and Helen could persuade everyone that the wedding should never have taken place and that they were partly to blame for the mess in the first place.

She smiled the first carefree, happy smile for months as she settled into the black Rangeman SUV that met her at Miami's airport and set off to the safe house.

Moments later she was asleep, dreaming of a simpler life.

o0o0o0o0o

Lester looked at the scum he'd just scooped up off the streets and deposited into the back of his black Explorer. Hal was riding shotgun and they'd found Oswald Picks at the poorer end of Stark Street, pedalling his drugs and almost under aged whores. He'd tried to run but they'd caught him easily, giving him a few bruises along the way to match the ones on his girls.

Bumping fists and grinning, Lester swung his vehicle round and headed for TPD. As they pulled up into the parking lot his phone rang. Gesturing to Hal to take Picks in to be processed, he pressed the button on the console to accept the call.

"Yo" he said distractedly as he watched Picks hit the floor a couple of times when Hal 'helped' him out of the back.

"I've got to go on a mission, Les. You and Tank are in charge, you know the drill."

"Steph get off ok?" Les said, changing the subject, knowing he'd gain no further information from him about where he was going.

"Yeah. In fact she should be unpacking right about now."

"Good. How long you gone for?"

"Three weeks, tops."

"Want me to keep an eye on Bomber for you?"

"No. She needs time and the Batcave will give it to her. Plus if any of us turn up she might start to wonder why we're there."

"Yeah. Like perhaps you care more than you want to admit, Bro?"

"Half Bro, and keep your thoughts to yourself will you? You know I don't need this right now."

"Did I ever tell you what an emotional retard you are?"

"Once or twice."

"Good. Now go. Save the world and come back in once piece."

"I'm too old for this" Ranger gritted out as he heard Lester guffaws as he ended the call.

A smile spread across Lester's face. With Ranger being out of the picture for a while he'd have free run of his 7th floor apartment where he just might be able to lift enough dirt on his big brother to use against his stupid no relationship rule. And somehow that little pile of stuff hidden might mysteriously make its way to the Batcave...

Mentally rubbing his hands with delight, he picked up the phone and dialled his partner in crime.

o0o0o0o0o

"How's it going, Pumpkin?" Frank asked, when he phoned that evening. He'd just finished his dinner and was comfortably situated in front of a Rangers match waiting for the players to come out.

"Great! I feel like a rock star, not a refugee." Steph replied, giggling like a teenager. "I flew in Ranger's private jet, got picked up at the airport by one of his guys and was brought to the most beautiful three bed beach house. How you could call this a safe house I'll never know." She said in wonder.

Frank smiled indulgently. She really had no idea, he mused. Ranger had obviously rented her somewhere to stay, but he bit his lip. She'd work it out in her own sweet time. "Not all safe houses are the same." He said, technically stating the truth. He just hoped she didn't figure out what Ranger's version of safe really meant. Let her enjoy his protection, without feeling guilty, for a little longer, he rationalised.

They talked for a while about this and that then ended the call.

Standing quickly, Frank forgot the game and went in search of Helen. Both to update her on his conversation with their daughter and to find out how she was getting on with her investigations into the nursing world.

"Hi, LD" he said as he stole up behind her. She was leaning against the sink, gazing out of the window.

"You haven't called me that since before the girls were born" was her smiling reply as she turned to face him.

"Well, as you're revisiting old dreams, I thought it was time to revisit old nicknames." He replied, scooping up one of her hands in his own and kissing her nose. "What have you found out, Little Dumpling?" He asked.

"Well, looks like I could go into a couple of different areas, I was thinking paediatrics. What do you reckon?"

"I reckon that you should go for whatever makes you happy and fulfils your dreams, LD." He said, giving her hand a little squeeze.

"My Dad was right, you know."

"?"

"You really are one in a million." She explained softly as she wrapped her free arm round his neck and pulled him in for a kiss.

o0o0o0o0o

Steph called Ranger's mobile to thank him again and to ask him a couple of questions about how the TV remote worked, but got his answer phone instead.

Leaving a quick message of thanks for his generosity, she decided to give Tank a call. After all, she decided, the pair of them were joined at the hip and Ranger had always told her to give his right hand man a call if he was unavailable and it was an emergency.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Plum" she said out loud, pulling up her big girl panties. After all there was a re-run of Friends about to start and she knew it was the one with Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anniston in it and she really wanted to watch it again.

She held her breath as she called Tank's number and waited for him to pick up.

"Bomber, what can I do for you?" came the deep voice she knew so well.

"Hi, Tank. Ranger around? I need to know how to work the TV remote, it's kind of an emergency."

She thought she heard amusement in his reply "No, he's in the wind for a coupla weeks or so. Can I help?"

"Er. OK. He didn't mention anything to me..." she said, a little bit confused.

"No, only got the call after you'd taken off. What make have you got?"

"?"

"The remote, Steph."

"Oh! Yeah, sorry! It's a Sony..."

Ten minutes later they'd successfully sorted out Steph's 'emergency' and she'd only missed the opening credits of the show. Weirdly though, her thoughts were not focused on the interaction between Pitt and Anniston, but on her superhero and which part of the world he was busy saving.

o0o0o0o0o

"Ooh, this one fits the bill, and this one, and this one..." Tank said, like an excited four year old at Christmas. He too had clearly had enough of Ranger's inability to get his head out of his ass.

"Yeah, yeah Big man, bring 'em all. He's definitely gone for at least a coupla weeks, you sure?" Lester asked as he hunted through Ranger's safe.

"I checked with our handler, not gonna be around for at least two but maybe longer."

Tank grinned and held up his findings. Lester quickly went through everything and pulled out several photos.

"Ella gave me these, they should do." He said happily as he threaded the selected shots into the frames she'd given him.

"There, looking good. Now, what else can we add?"

"These?" Tank asked, holding up a couple of his army medals.

"Nah, she'll smell a rat, but perhaps if we put in his Rangers graduation certificate and his letter from the President plus his flag then we've a good selection. Anna has agreed to get a couple of pictures from Celia of him with Julie and I think we can safely say we have the makings of a good show."

The two men bumped fists then carefully put everything back where it belonged, minus their takings of course, and set off to find Ella and some packing tape.

o0o0o0o0o

The next few days were sun filled and relaxing but Joe knew he needed to go home and face the music, aka his mother. Although the honeymoon had been booked for two weeks, he was now starting to climb the walls, being on his own was not all it was cracked up to be and he missed the hustle and bustle that his day job brought. Who would have thought he would miss the crap and shit dished out by Trenton's finest.

He'd spoken with his mother a couple of times on the phone and he knew that the gossip mongers in the Burg had already moved on. Largely it appeared, due to the scandalous news that Emily Morrison's son had been found in bed with his brother and they were not acting in a brotherly way. As someone had once told him, today's news is tomorrow's hamster bedding. He smiled as he wondered how his ex-fiancée and her rat were doing.

The time in Hawaii had been pleasant and restful and had made him take a long hard look at himself and although he had plenty to be happy about – for a start he'd not turned into the drunken bastard his father had been, part of him was surprised at how much his pride had led to the ending of his almost wedding. He was not proud of what Helen had said about him in front of the whole congregation and unfortunately the more he thought about it, the more badly he realised he treated someone he supposedly cared about, namely Steph.

Time to put things right, he decided as he picked up the phone before he could change his mind.

o0o0o0o0o

Steph smiled as she ran her fingers over the azure blue marble counter top, stopping when she reached the state of the art coffee machine. Picking up a large fine bone china mug she carefully made herself a huge skinny latte to accompany the home baked muffins that Anna had brought over earlier for her, together with a rather delicious looking fish and rice combo that she'd been assured would be fine to pop in the oven for ten minutes before serving.

The more she'd thought about Anna, the more something did not seen to stack up. After all, who the hell would need to be put up in such a fabulous house and have such a wonderful housekeeper? Surely not the sorts of people that normally went into safe houses, right? Just look at the bathroom in the master suite. OK, scratch that she argued to herself, who has a master suite of such grand proportions in any house? The more she thought about it, the more sense it made that this was Ranger's own place, perhaps even the Batcave...

The thoughts of what that might mean started the tiniest tendrils of hope, deep in her inner being. She quickly squashed that thought by replaying his comments about entertainment, rings and condoms. She couldn't afford to get her hopes up, after all she was here because she was in hiding from an ex-fiancé that she'd dumped at the altar less than a week before.

And let's face it, she rationalised, Ranger would never offer her his heart, it just wasn't his thing and his friendship was too precious to her to destroy with a night of meaningless sex.

Much as she loved every inch of the man, there, she'd finally admitted it to herself, she was not about to get her hopes up about a future with him.

They both knew where things stood, or at least it seemd that way, but the Batcave? Hmmm.

She bit into the muffin and groaned, closing her eyes as the blueberry flavour exploded on her tongue, savouring the sweetness and tartness. How could anything taste this good? She questioned as she opened her eyes, picking up her plate and mug and heading for the den.

As she entered the room she noticed one of the cupboards in the bottom left hand corner of the TV unit was not shut right. Thinking she mustn't have shut it when she was snooping earlier, she carefully placed her snack on the coffee table and went to investigate.

o0o0o0o0o

Joe sat down on the lounger, picked up the phone and moved his flight to tomorrow morning then taking a deep breath to centre himself he dialled Stephanie's cell phone.

"Hello?" came the hesitant reply.

"Hi, Steph, it's me, Joe, don't hang up. Can I talk to you for a few minutes, there's something I really need to say."

"Oh Joe. I'm so sorr..."

"Stop right there!" Joe said, slightly more forcefully than he meant "Please" he added more softly.

"K" He thought he heard a slight sniff.

"It's me who should be saying sorry." He said gently, running his fingers through his hair and leaning forward to rest his elbows on his thighs as he stared at the floor. "I should never have pushed you into marrying me. I've taken a long hard look at why I asked you and your Mom was right, we should never have planned a wedding. You, me, not such a good combination. I mean I do love you, Steph, but I would only have made you change from the vibrant woman that you are into something that suited my needs, with little or no regard for what you wanted. I have to admit I'm not proud of what I was trying to do, even if it was subconsciously."

"Joe, I don't know what to say. I'm just sorry that I didn't have the courage to face the truth earlier, I'm so sorry that it took my Mom to end it for me." Steph replied sadly.

"Just say that one day we can be friends?"

"Sure."

"Oh and don't worry about the gossip sluts in Trenton, they've gotten their teeth into a far more juicy story" he said, smiling, breaking the tension. He could almost hear Steph's curiosity and waited.

5-4-3...

"Tell me more." She said happily.

The tension in the air was gone and they both started to tentatively rebuild their friendship.

Sometime later, Steph sat on the floor surrounded by the contents of the box she'd found in the cupboard. There were pictures of Ranger in his early years, surrounded by some of the MM and a few others that she didn't recognise. One showed them dressed in desert fatigues and grinning broadly at the camera. Another was of them sitting in and standing around a tank, proudly waving the American Flag. There were pictures of him with Julie at various stages of her life and one of him with his parents. There were a couple from Trenton, including one of the pair of them hiding in the alley, looking as if they were about to kiss, their emotions shining on their oh so close faces. She gulped as she studied the look of love that they were both displaying. Had they really been that close before the engagement? She knew when it had been taken it was less than a week before Joe had proposed, she was just surprised at how her own feelings had been reflected in his eyes too.

What had she been thinking when she'd agreed to marry Joe? Oh yeah, Ranger did not do relationships and she'd just been held hostage for three days.

She raised the flag she'd found neatly folded at the bottom and held it to her face. She took a deep breath and detected cordite and alpha male with the merest hint of Bulgari.

Oh, this was Ranger's house alright!

She so desperately wanted to find that she was in the Batcave. The small flame of hope she'd been nursing since her suspicions had first been alerted started to burn more brightly.

Perhaps... She smiled indulgently, still clutching the flag to her chest.

When he got back from wherever he'd gone she planned to have a very long conversation with the man in black.

Decision made, she went in search of her dinner, calm in the knowledge that Ranger was looking after her and protecting her, as usual.

o0o0o0o0o

Steph smiled as she thought about the phone call with Joe last night as she showered the next morning. She was pleased at how easily they'd slipped back into good friend mode. She just knew they were going to be ok. After all, Chuck and Jim Morrison had provided a much more interesting story – incest in the 'Burg! Who would have thought it!

Once she'd finished in the bathroom, she fingered the box of memories that lay on the ottoman at the foot of the bed, then looked out at the beach and decided a walk was a good idea. She knew now she was in a better place and it would soon be time to head home, but she needed a few souvenirs and remembered seeing a couple of great little concession stands a few day's ago selling the cutest things about half an hour up the beach.

Quickly changing into white mid thigh shorts and a bright pink tank, she slipped on her gold sandals, picked up her purse and headed out to snag a few keepsakes.

Life was looking up she thought, brightly as she set off, the flame of hope licking up her insides and making her feel dizzy with anticipation while butterflies danced in her stomach.

o0o0o0o0o

The slight breeze took away some of the heat of the morning and allowed her to concentrate on her goal without turning her into a hot sweaty puddle so it wasn't long before she found the stall she'd seen with the really pretty shell jewellery on it. She picked up a rather delicate pendant on a long pale pink leather cord that she figured would sit just nicely between her breasts and was just holding it up to see how it looked in the mirror when something glinted out of the corner of her eye. She turned slightly to get a better look in the mirror and gasped, dropping the pendant to the floor where it shattered into a million pieces.

Her feelings of peace and hope immediately morphed to ones of screaming pain and churning sickness. Turning quickly she ran as fast as she could to get away from the scene she'd just witnessed. The worried sounds of the shop assistant calling "Ma'am? Ma'am, you ok, Ma'am?" Ringing in her ears.

Time stood still as she fled back to the safety of the beach house where after several attempts she managed to get the key in the lock as the scene of Ricardo Carlos Manoso laughing as he wrapped himself round a woman unfolded in her head. It had been the dazzling sparkle of their wedding rings that had caught her eye as she'd held the necklace to her chest.

Moments later she collapsed in an untidy heap on the floor for the second time in recent history, her thoughts racing and her heart and soul broken and scattered across the hard stone floor, intermingled with the contents of her purse.

For a long time, the only sound was her weeping, each excruciatingly painful sob pulled from her body one by one.

Eventually darkness fell and with it the blissful release of sleep.

**Please don't shoot me...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks again for your wonderful feedback – I hope this is not too late for those of you who promised me actual bodily harm – you were joking, right?**

**Anyway...**

The next day brought yet another cloudless sky and by 6.30 the hall way was light and bright, warming its hard surface and the woman who lay in an ugly heap on it.

Moaning softly Steph opened her eyes and stretched as her body protested at the unforgiving nature of the floor.

She sat up and immediately regretted it as her head swam and she felt sick to her stomach. The feeling was not helped as the images that had led to her quick exit ran through her head.

Could it really have been Ranger? She thought. After all, he was currently in the wind. Perhaps he was undercover. She snorted at the idea. The man and woman she'd seen were clearly very much in love, in the way that only comes with time and the certainty of a devoted relationship.

If it had been Ranger then whoever he'd been with was very obviously his wife and had been a part of his life for a very long time.

Steph eyed the mess that surrounded her and once again was reminded of how the bead work on her wedding dress had fallen apart. This was similar, except this time it was all related to Ranger.

She sighed as she pulled herself up off the floor and set about clearing up.

After the conversation with Joe she'd put two and two together and had convinced herself that she was in fact staying in Ranger's own private house. Perhaps it was even the Batcave, but having just seen the man himself laughing with and eating the face off another woman had made her realise that she was nothing to him. How could she have even thought she was good enough?

He was clearly enjoying the woman in his arms and their's was obviously a long term relationship. Why had he never had the guts to be honest with her? Admittedly he'd never lied to her or given her any hint that they could ever be more than just friends but seeing him with this other woman broke her more than she'd ever been broken before.

By this time she'd finished picking up her things so she wandered into the kitchen, in search of coffee and carbs.

o0o0o0o0o

"So, Les. Everything is in place?" Tank asked, grinning at his partner in crime.

"Yep" Santos replied, feeling very pleased with himself as he relaxed back in his chair, putting his hands behind his head and swivelling slightly.

"Good. Now all we have to do is get her to stay a bit longer in Miami and Ranger down there. When's he back?"

"Seems like he's nearly finished and will be done within the next few days. Including the debrief, he'll be back kicking your ass in just under a week."

"Great! Now, how do we get Beautiful to stay put?"

"We could always bomb her apartment..." Tank said, grinning evilly. He knew how much Bomber hated her bathroom, perhaps they could start something there.

"Hmm, now why on earth would we do a thing like that?" Lester grinned out as her reached into his desk drawer. "Always wanted to try these babies out." He added looking dreamily at the object in his hand.

"You're so not right in the head." Tank said as he stood up. Quickly swiping the small incendiary device Lester was holding and giving it a good once over.

o0o0o0o0o

"Daddy?" a small voice said over the phone line.

"Pumpkin? You ok?" Frank said, obviously worried about the distress he could hear in Steph's voice.

"I need to come home."

"I call Tank and arrange the je..."

"No, Daddy. Please don't get Rangeman involved. I've done something really stupid and I don't want any of them involved. Please?"

"K, Sweetie. See what I can do. Do you want to tell me what the problem is?" he pressed.

"Daddy. I'm staying in the Batcave and he's here in Miami too only he's sucking the face off another woman. How can I have been so naive? Please Daddy, come and get me."

"Woah, hold your horses. What are you talking about?" Frank asked, clearly confused and not a little upset. Helen had noticed the tone of his voice so stopped making pancakes, turned off the hob and sat down at the kitchen table where she could lean into her husband and listen to the conversation.

Frank and Helen could hear a loud sigh, as if she was struggling not to cry.

"I'm putting this call on speaker, Honey. Your Mom's here."

"K"

"Right, now start from the beginning." Frank continued, gently squeezing Helen's hand that had somehow gotten wrapped up in his own.

Steph sighed again "I found a box yesterday in the TV cabinet. I know! I know I should have been snooping but the door wasn't shut properly..." She could hear a soft chuckle "It's not funny, Daddy!" she snapped petulantly.

"No-one's laughing" Helen said softly as she glared at her husband.

"Well, I'd figured out that I was probably staying in one of Ranger's personal properties – I mean who has an ensuite that's larger than my apartment for Chrissakes? Plus there's Anna..."

"Anna?"

"Yeah, she's Ella's equivalent here in Miami"

"Ella?"

"Sorry, Mom! Ranger has a housekeeper at Rangeman Trenton that looks after him, I think she's his aunt or something. Anyway, Ella does his laundry, feeds him, shops for him, that kind of stuff."

Helen looked at Frank, giving him a knowing look.

"Well, Anna is her Miami equivalent and she comes in every day and feeds me." Even as she said it Steph realised it sounded even more like Ranger had been taking care of her. The more she explained, the worse it sounded. She grimaced, she really did not need his pity.

"Well, after she'd been I wandered into the snug with a muffin and some coffee where I noticed a cupboard door was open. I pulled out a box full of things. Personal things. Photos in frames, a copy of his military graduation certificate and a beautifully folded American Flag that smelt of him. Mom, Dad. This is the Batcave!" she explained as if it was all obvious. Silence was her reply.

"The Batcave! You know, where Ranger feels most at home. Where he threatened to bring me if we ever had a proper relationship." She changed her voice, mimicking him "Babe, the Batcave is forever."

Frank said slowly "Go on." Knowing the little he did about the man, and judging from the little bits and pieces she'd told them in the past, his personal space was very important and very protected. That's when he smiled at his wife.

"So What's the problem, Pumpkin?" he asked, clearly confused.

"Well, yesterday I decided it was nearly home time, that I needed to come home and face Trenton. I had a long talk with Joe on the Phone and knew that as the 'Burg had moved on, so could I." She sighed sadly.

"I went shopping and that's when I saw them!" she said, softly crying and trying to pretend that she wasn't.

"Saw what, honey?" Helen asked, gently, worry clearly evident on her face.

"He's got someone else! I saw _them_, Mom!" she managed to get out as the tears and her heartbreak got the better of her.

"Pumpkin, are you sure?"

"Yeah, they were both wearing wedding rings, really bright, shiny new ones. Her engagement ring sparkled and caught my eye. He's married, Mom! And I've just given my heart to another man that doesn't want me."

Frank and Helen sat looking stunned as they listened helplessely to her distress.

"It might not be what it seems. He's probably at his desk right now..."

"No he's not, he's in the wind!" Steph gritted out.

"He could be undercover" Helen said, trying to rationalise what her daughter had seen.

"Mom, whoever he was with he's know like forever. They obviously have history. A lot of it. I'm such a fool!"

"Now calm down, Stephanie Michelle Plum!" Frank said forcefully as he heard Steph going from slightly upset to off the scale. He needed her to focus.

He heard her hiccup "yes, Daddy..." as his words leapt through the receiver and slapped her round the head, immediately stopping her pity party.

"Do you love the man?" he asked.

"Yes, Daddy" she whispered.

"Then leave it to your mother and I. Go! Get some sunshine. We'll call you back once we've got to the bottom of everything."

"Yes, Daddy" she whispered again.

Putting the phone down he turned to his wife with a grim look on his face. "That man'd better have a good reason for breaking her heart." He said as he stood up.

"Where are you going?" Helen asked "We shouldn't be interfering, she's a big girl and we can't fight all her battles for..." she stopped and realised what she'd just inferred "Ok, maybe for a bit longer" she added as she thought about the events of the last week.

"I was about to say pot call the kettle black*" he chuckled out before kissing her on the head. "Won't be long. I think a trip to Haywood Street is in order, don't you?" he said as he picked up his keys and was about to head off when the phone rang again.

Frank was just putting a lightweight jacket on when he heard Helen gasp.

He looked over to see she'd turned white and was slowly putting the receiver down.

"You ok, LD?" he asked, reaching out his arm so she could grab it.

"Steph's apartment? It's been destroyed again. Looks like the fire started in her bathroom" She replied.

o0o0o0o0o

Tank sighed as he ran his hands over his bald head. Could his day get any worse? Zero had taken a fall during an installation and was now at the hospital after he'd broken his leg and dislocated his shoulder and Boston had phoned to ask that he attend a meeting with one of their potential clients to allay any fears they may have. Where was Ranger when you needed him? He growled, glaring at the annual appraisals that sat on his desk, hoping that they might take the hint and sneak off, scared.

The only upside is that Steph now had to stay in Miami and wait for her man to go claim her. Her apartment had somehow been attacked, again. Apparently the bathroom was completely destroyed and would need to be completely replaced... He smiled as he imagined the carnage Lester would have carefully orchestrated.

His phone went so he picked it up. If he was a sighing man he'd have slunk down, but no, he was in command until his esteemed leader returned...

"Yo"

"Mr Plum is here to see you" Woody's said, his voice as blank as his face probably was.

"Send him up, I'll meet him on 5."

Tank leaned, back. Yup! The day had officially gotten worse he thought as he stood up and wandered out to the elevator.

Frank walked out of the car and took in his surroundings. The walls of the area he'd entered were calm, clean and efficient and light flooded into the large space, reflecting off the pale cream walls. Off to one side he could see a room filled with TV screens. Several men were carefully monitoring what were obviously client sites.

Before he had a chance to check much else out, Tank was in front of him, blocking his view.

"Mr Plum, what can I do for you?" he asked calmly as he gestured for him to follow. Turning on his heels with Frank at his side, they returned to Tank's office.

"I'm here to see your Boss" Frank said.

Tank looked him over and realised he was spoiling for a fight.

"Ranger's not here right now" he said cautiously as he gestured to a seat opposite his own.

Frank nodded, processing the information as he sat down. Tank walked back to his own massive one on the other side of the desk. "What seems to be the problem?" he asked, sliding onto the soft black leather.

"Is Stephanie staying in the Batcave?"

Tank was stunned and replied before his brain had engaged. "Yes."

"Thought so!" Frank smiled back smugly.

Tank relaxed, pleased that his reply had made Mr Plum's day, maybe things were on the up...

"Then why the fuck is she telling me he's married and wandering round the streets of Miami sucking the face off another woman?" Frank gritted out. "Either the man loves my daughter or he doesn't but that does not give him the right to mess with her mind or her heart. And right about now she needs this like a hole in the head."

At that moment, Tank's phone rang and held up his hand to Frank asking him to hold that thought.

"Yo."

"Yo yourself."

"Back in four days."

Ah, Ranger. Tank put his phone on speaker and gestured for Frank to remain silent. "Good. Where are you?"

"You know I can't tell you..."

"Please"

"Tank, WTF? Ok, I'm in Austin, Texas."

"Been there all along?"

"Tank, what is this? You know I can't tell you and what's with the please thing?"

"Just trust me, ok? How long have you been in Austin?"

"8 days."

"Just Texas?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Nowhere else?"

"Tank, what the fuck is going on?"

"Gotta go." And with that Tank hung up then took the handset off its cradle and quickly turned off his cell phone.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry for the delay in updating, we've been away on holiday to an area with no internet connection!**

**Thanks for all your wonderful and constructive comments. I seem to have gotten under your skin - mwahaha...**

**Anyway, let me tease you no longer...**

"Looks like Steph's met Ranger's twin, Leo." Tank said, giving the man sat opposite him a look that spoke volumes and non of it good.

Frank looked at him, raised his eyebrows and cocked his head to one side, waiting for an explanation that he could use to appease his daughter.

"Ah, so you want details." Tank continued.

"Would be nice. I don't really want another hysterical conversation with my daughter right now."

"Sorry, Frank, not my story to tell. Just believe me when I tell you Ranger would not have put Stephanie in his favourite home if he'd have known his brother was gonna be there. Things have been rocky between them for a long time – Leo was always jealous of Carlos' seemingly charmed life. But once he hooked up with Nayeli everything went rapidly went downhill for their relationship. Trust me when I say Ranger is no fan of his younger brother."

Frank's thoughts lingered over Tanks use of the words 'favourite home' but now was not the time to consider this aspect of Ranger's wealth so he focused on the issue at hand. "Describe her to me. I have a good idea what Leo looks like if Stephanie thought he was Ranger, but his wife..."

"Fuck, can't believe they got married, they deserve each other..."

"Look, I don't care about the history, I just want to give my daughter a bit of help. What does Nayeli look like!" Frank pressed, his tempter rising again.

"Sorry, Man." Tank said quickly, trying to diffuse the plum-bomb in front of him. "She's native American Indian. Tall, about 5' 10". Last time I saw her she had long straight hair and was about 150lbs. Fake boobs and big smile with no life behind it. Needs a good meal too."

Frank nodded. "May I?" he asked, gesturing to Tank's handset, which was still sitting in the middle of his desk.

"Help yourself." Tank sighed out. Hell, did anyone else want to take over? Perhaps they could do the appraisals while they were at it? He grumbled petulantly to himself before his thoughts snapped back to what was happening in his office.

Frank dialled Steph's mobile and waited for his daughter to pick up the phone.

"Daddy?"

"Hi Pumpkin. You okay?"

"Sure, I'm hiding by the pool – I don't to run into Ranger again."

"I'm with Tank and I've got you on speaker. I think we can clear things up, but you need to describe the woman you saw?"

"Yeah, tall, very thin, long dark hair, pneumatic boobs, really tanned."

"Could she be native Indian?"

"Possibly...Now I come to think of it, probably."

"Bomber, that's Nayeli and Ranger's twin, Leo. They're bad news - try to stay clear, ok?" Tank explained.

"Sure thing Big Man." Steph said, sounding a little relieved. "I've over reacted, haven't I?" she asked, sounding a little stupid.

"No more than anyone else in love would have done, Bomber."

"Who says I'm in love?" Steph retorted petulantly, unhappy to have been read so easily.

"Can't imagine" two male voices replied in unison.

"Oh, another thing, Pumpkin. You can't come home. You're apartment's been bombed."

"Anyone I should know?" Steph asked, worried that a wedding guest had decided to vent their feelings over the whole fiasco.

"Don't worry, Bomber. Lester's on the case." Tank replied. "I think you need to stay put for a bit longer until the threat has been neutralised."

"And your bathroom has been replaced." Frank added with a snigger.

"Hmm, Miami, clean air and sunshine... Trenton, polluted and cold? Difficult decision! You're right I need to stay here. It's a tough job but someone has to do it" she paused. "You do remember that I don't live in my apartment anymore, though, right? Having given up my single life to marry Joe?"

Tank slapped his forehead with the heel of one of his large fists. Hard.

Frank gave him a funny look before saying his goodbyes and ending the call with Steph. "Anything you want to tell me, Son?" he asked, grinning slyly. All the puzzle pieces had just slotted into place. If Ranger's stuff had been in the safe house when Steph had first arrived there, she would have found it immediately, he didn't doubt that. And who had better access to incendiary devices that a bunch of ex-army guys.

"Not a good idea to ask, Mr Plum." Came the strangled reply.

o0o0o0o0o

Joe stepped off the plane and took a deep breath of Trenton's poor quality, fetid air as a big smile spread across his face. Good to be home, he thought as he jogged over to the courtesy bus that would take him back to the main building.

Despite living just outside the 'Burg, he'd really missed it and all that it stood for and his time away in paradise with its squeaky clean environment and lazy, indulgent lifestyle had done little to change his mind.

Life went on, and so should he. He had a good job that he enjoyed and excelled at. He had a home that bit by bit was losing the old lady feel and becoming his own. He had solid, dependable friends and amusing if somewhat dubious cousins. And on top of it all, he'd been voted best ass in Trenton three years in succession. Yeah, he had a lot to offer the right woman and there's no time like the present to start his search, he decided. After all, only his pride, not his heart, had taken a battering.

He snorted. Yeah, he thought, his heart had never been in jeopardy... He would have to send Helen Plum a large thank you bouquet for stopping a marriage that would have surely ended in disaster and destroyed his fuck buddy and best friend.

As he stood wondering where to go to find his luggage he noticed several uniformed flight attendants walking across the concourse, small suitcases noisily following along behind like obedient puppies. One particular head of hair caught his eye.

"Tiffany?" he asked hesitantly. She stopped and turned round as she heard her name being called out.

"Joe?" she replied, a smile reaching up to and into her eyes.

Despite the shameless flirting they'd done last time they'd met, they'd never discussed their personal lives. "You live round here?" she asked, a slight blush rising on her cheeks as the realisation that they could be neighbours hit home.

"Yeah, you?"

"I just move to this district called the Chambersburg. Great placed to raise kids. You heard of it?"

"Might have done" he replied with a glint in his eye. "It's called the 'Burg by the natives." He stage whispered conspiratorially.

"Fancy hooking up for a beer, or pizza or..." she replied, her smile widening. She never thought she'd see him again after the flight and part of her had been sad. After all, he was a charming, witty walking sex god who had made a boring journey much more fun.

"Yeah, sounds great! Here, let me put my number into your phone so that you can call me. If you want..." he added the last part more softly. Tiffany handed him her phone and flashing a full on smouldering smile he quickly inputted his number and handed it back.

"Gotta go!" she smiled brightly before rushing off to join the rest of her crew.

"Who is _that_?" one of the male cabin crew asked, practically drooling as she rejoined them.

"Oh Joe? Well he's the first real friend I've made since moving to Trenton." She said, effectively cutting off any further questioning. "And he's so not your type." She added laughing.

The sound reached Joe's ear and sent a shiver down his spine. It raced round the front and snuggled into his heart. Blinking, Joe quickly set off to reclaim his luggage. He'd _never,_ _ever,_ felt anything like it before in his life and he was determined that he would make her laugh again just so that he felt it again and again.

o0o0o0o0o

Ranger took a deep breath and sat down. The suits were really grilling him and he'd had enough. The mission had been short, swift and extremely effective yet here he was. Four days later. With endless questions and forms still, it would appear, not yet completed.

He looked over to his handler, Lt Colonel Dave Swift and pleaded with him, silently. He wanted to see how Steph was doing but last night when he called Lester he'd been unusually tight lipped. Instead his half bro told him about the bomb in the bathroom and he had mentally high fived at his men's initiative. Even if the morons had destroyed the wrong property.

Gotta love their loyalty.

"Gentlemen" Swift said, standing and placing his hands on the table for effect. "I think we've got all the information we need, both from Special Agent Manoso here and from local intel. I think it's time to call a halt to proceedings, don't you?" His voice did nothing to hide the contempt he was feeling for the endless round of box ticking.

"You have half an hour until I release my operative. He has a wedding to attend and I doubt he will be a popular man if he misses his own big day. Do you?" He glared at the suits who shrank back in their chairs. Good, he thought, perhaps we can _all_ go home...

Ranger's eyes snapped up to Swift's face as the words sank in. Dios! The man was telling everyone he was getting married and the thought, instead of making him run for the hills, filled him with longing. A feeling coming over him that surprised him totally. Steph was his for the taking and he'd spent far too long fucking her over. He realised it was time to tell her the truth...

His thoughts were disrupted by the sounds of scraping chairs as people started to stand. There was a bit of paper shuffling, words of thanks then all of a sudden the room was empty except for Ranger and his boss.

"Carlos, glad to see you focusing there" Swift chuckled indulgently.

Ranger, still sitting leaned back in his chair, stretched and arched his back as he closed his eyes. "Never thought I was getting out of here, thanks man." He replied. "What's all that about my wedding?" he said, as casually as he could.

David Swift grinned. "Word has always been that once bitten, twice shy, with you and marriage and until recently I would have even put money on. But now... not so much. Plus we'd still be sitting here in three day's time if I hadn't have given the gossip mongers something to go tittle tattle about."

He sat down and sighed "Added to that, Leo is back in Miami with Neyali and Miss Plum has seen them both. You need to man up, Carlos! Christ, if I can see my way to getting hitched then you seriously have no excuse. Go get you woman! As my father always said "Whoever invented the phrase 'good things come to those who wait' was talking bullshit – you need to be true to what you want and not let a bunch of lame excuses get in the way."

Giving Ranger a long hard stare, he continued. "Something changed in you a while back. Bit by bit you've lost focus in the work we do as _something_, or more accurately, _someone_ squirmed into your head. I've never met your woman but I do know that you've been denying your own needs by shunning her. You owe it to both of you to admit you can have a life together." By this time Swift had got back onto his feet and was pacing the room "If I had my time again..." he stopped mid stride. "Carlos, you have eighteen weeks left on your contract. I can make sure you get no further calls to action. Go get her, before it's too late."

Ranger looked down at the desk "So, how is Mrs Swift?" he asked softly as he fiddled with the pen he suddenly found in his hand.

"Still breathing, just about." Swift replied, bitterness evident in his voice. "If I had my time again I'd still have married Jenny, but I'd have done it a damned sight sooner, I still miss her laughter, you know."

"I know, man." Ranger replied softly as he thought back to the terrible car accident three years ago that had effectively ended her life but had cruelly left her on the edge between this world and the next.

Standing slowly he grabbed Swift's shoulder and squeezed it gently before turning on his heel and heading out the door.

o0o0o0o0o

Steph woke to the sounds of laughter coming from the kitchen. She blinked as she took in the throaty sound. From the rare occasion that she'd heard it she'd have recognised it as Ranger's but it was lighter and slightly creepy and she didn't feel any weird tingling that usually went with him being near.

Tentatively she climbed out of bed then gathered up her cell phone and some clothes and crept into the bathroom where she silently shut and locked the door, dragging on a tank top and some shorts as she dialled Rangeman.

"Tank?"

"Hi Bomber. You ok?"

"Tank, you remember what you said about steering clear of Leo?"

"Yeah."

"Well I think he's here. At the Batcave. And he's not alone. I can hear a woman's laughter."

"Where are you?"

"Ensuite bathroom, I've locked myself in."

"Ok. Good girl. Just stay put. A distraction will be there in 10. Stay on the phone but only talk if you have to, got it."

"yeah."

"Sit quiet and it'll all to ok. Ok?" He added calmly. Quickly his fingers tapped out a couple of emails. "Ok, now I know this is Ranger's story to tell, but you need some background info, ok?"

"k"

"Ranger is older than Leo by 4 minutes but Leo was always the one that controlled their relationship and got him into serious trouble, that is until Carlos decided to join the army. As you know he met, married and divorced Rachel not long after he'd become a Ranger, but what you don't know is that Neyali had been dating Leo and Rachel was her friend. That's how they met."

"But..."

Tank cut her off and started talking again "Anyway, Leo was a bit of a player so Neyali decided a healthy dose of sibling rivalry would help him focus more on her so tried to seduce Ranger when Leo was out of town one weekend. She wasn't successful as Ranger turned her down flat so she lied to Leo and told him that Ranger was the one doing the chasing. The boys had a massive row and both of them ended up cooling their heels overnight, courtesy of Miami's PD."

"Nothing more was ever said and Ranger and Rachel had a few more dates before he was whisked off on his first real mission. It was not long after that he got the call about Julie."

"So? What you've told me so far doesn't add up to Leo being bad news."

"True, but the icing on the cake was Julie. I know Ranger used condoms – he's paranoid about STD's and unplanned kids so I did my some homework of my own. They only slept together on one night but it was Leo who supplied the necessary protection. Ranger could never prove it, but he knew his brother had tampered with it."

"How can he be so sure?"

"Just trust me, ok?"

"Tank, I'm not saying I don't believe you but that's one hell of an accusation to level at anyone. Are you really so sure?"

"Yes, damnit! I know he was to blame because I was there."

_Flashback_

_The nightclub was pumping and the rhythm was resonating through every single body in the place. People were bumping and grinding seductively. It was one hell of a place to pick up a woman as the whole place hinted of dark sweaty nights of passion._

_Leo and Neyali were entangled in the corner, deep in conversation, as I deposited my drink on the shelf that ran the length of the wall. We'd arrived as part of a larger group but had quickly dispersed to look for some action._

_Despite the level of noise, I could hear snippets of their conversation "like a dream, doll, like a dream. Hopefully he'll be tied down for the next 18 years..."_

"_And Rachel?"_

"_No fucking clue."_

"_Good."_

_I tapped Leo on the shoulder as he nuzzled into her neck "Where's your brother?"_

"_Left already." Leo said, a look of triumph on his face._

_End Flashback_

"Just sit tight, Bomber, we'll have you out of there in no time, ok?"

"Sure thing, Tank. I guess running a deep bath and having a soak while I wait is out of the question, isn't it?"

The sound of Tank's laughter was her only reply as she sat on the toilet and waited for her knight in shining armour.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks for your fab reviews - I can't believe how many people have me on their story alerts, please feel free to leave me a review too! Not bad since I know some of you struggle with my English version of English. **

**Only a few more chapters to go - I'm surprised how excited you've all gotten with Leo and Nayeli so I've expanded that part of my story so please bear with me as I'm having to add in a whole new section to the text that I've already written so it may be a while before I update again.**

**Anyway, here we go again...**

Nayeli stretched on the kitchen countertop, exposing her belly button as well as a couple of inches of skin below her cropped top.

"You'll be the death of me, woman!" Leo growled out as he playfully nipped her abdomen, soliciting a girly shriek. He licked her skin and placed soft kisses on the wet circle he'd left, before grabbing her left hand and kissing the rings he found there.

"I know my bastard brother is away, so why don't we celebrate our recent nuptials upstairs?" he whispered against her skin. "He'll never know unless we leave him a calling card or two..." his hands wandering to lower, warmer places.

Nayeli grinned "I like your thinking, husband of mine. Perhaps we should christen the couch before we head up." She added tracing her tongue over her lips seductively as she sat up opening her arms to reach for him.

Scooping her up in his arms bridal style, Leo turned round and was about to head towards the lounge but was stopped in his tracks by a large human wall dressed in black.

"Well, what do we have here?" the wall asked in a deep baritone voice. "Trespassers!"

Leo glared at the wall and sneered "Hello, Baron. What drags your sorry carcass to my house?"

Baron guffawed, loudly "the alarm was tripped and as I was in the area I agreed to check things out." He sneered back. "And what do you mean your house? Your house! Since when has Carlos' property become yours?"

"Hey, what's mine is yours and all that shit..." Leo growled out petulantly, putting his wife down so he could push her behind him and take up an aggressive stance. Nayeli peered round his shoulders and glared at the man who had spoiled all her fun.

"I think you gave up the right to that benefit a long time ago, don't you? _And _I think you need to leave before I call the cops." He added, crossing his arms, his blank face giving no hint to the feelings that lay beneath.

"Come on, Honey. He's so not worth it." Nayeli huffed as she grabbed his upper arm and began tugging him towards the front door. "We'll celebrate somewhere else, OK, sweetie?" Turning to leave she flicked Baron the bird and stormed out the door with Leo hot on her tail.

Moments later the deep roar of a powerful engine and the squeal of tyres heralded their exit.

Steph breathed a sigh of relief from her vantage point next to the now open bathroom door. Hearing a third voice she'd figured this was the distraction Tank mentioned so she'd opened the door so that she could hear what her knight in shining armour said. From the snippets she overheard she decided that Leo and his 'charming' wife were one part of Carlos' family that she had no real desire to meet.

"It's ok, Bomber." Tank said confidently over the phone bringing her back to his reality. "Coast is clear. Why don't you go and say hi to Baron, he's wanted to put your face to your name for a long time."

"K... Hey! How long is a long time?" she asked the dial tone.

Steph wandered cautiously downstairs and into the kitchen where an enormous mocha latte coloured man that gave Tank a run for his money in the muscle department was texting as he leant his back against the breakfast bar.

"Ah, Miss Plum!" he said, looking up briefly before returning to his cell phone "Just let me finish this and I'll be with you in two shakes of a duck's ass." He added. Seconds later he reclipped his phone to his belt and turned his focus on her.

"Hi?" Steph said tentatively giving him a finger wave, not sure whether it was safe to go put the coffee machine on or not.

Baron chuckled sensing her unease. "I don't bite, unless requested." He said, waggling his eyebrows at her.

That broke the ice and Steph laughed as she headed over to the cupboard to grab a coffee cup. "Want one?" she asked, waving a chrome finished over sized mug at him.

"Sure, why not." He replied, breaking into a full smile and relaxing further against the counter top.

They stood waiting while the machine did its thing and all the time Steph surreptitiously looked at Baron, as she gathered a small jug of cream, a bowl of sugar and two teaspoons.

"Do you think we've seen the last of them?" she asked, obviously concerned about the intruders "Yeah, for now. They've just gotten back from their honeymoon so they'll probably try to make trouble for a while as they remind everyone that Carlos is not the only Manoso in town that has a reputation."

Steph looked confused and Baron laughed at her obvious facial expression. "What?" she snapped.

"Nothing, Les is right though, you are easy to read."

At that moment the coffee machine finished making its presence known with a loud gurgle so Steph filled their mugs, gestured to the jug and upon his confirmation, added cream to both cups before heading out to the den, Baron on her heel.

"You look familiar" she said as she put the drinks down on the large low level wooden coffee table that sat between two huge dark brown leather sofas and plopped onto the nearest one as she studied the man who seemed part Ranger, part Lester and part Tank, but perhaps that last bit was just due to his size. He also seemed to have Les's playful streak or maybe his attitude was from living in such a warm and vibrant place.

"Well, Ranger and I are sorta related." Baron said as he sat down. "We're all Cuban American from a tight knit community - Lester is my cousin and Ranger is his half brother, so although we don't share the same blood we nearly do. Does that make sense?"

"Ranger and Lester are brothers? How many siblings does Ranger have?"

"Les is his _half_ brother – they share the same mother and our fathers are brothers. Ranger's father died in a car accident not long after he was born and Maria remarried when he was three. Les was born less than seven and a half months later, surprisingly large for such a preemie baby." He grinned as he said the last bit. "Ranger has two older sisters, Celia, Consuela, then there's him and Leonardo and finally baby Lester."

Steph giggled at the baby reference. She couldn't imagine Les being happy with such a moniker, but then, nothing surprised her about the Manoso family anymore.

"So" she said, going back to her earlier question "Why did Leo break in and what is he likely to do next?"

Baron shook his head wryly. "Do don't give up, do you? I can see how you've grown on so many people I know." He sighed, took a deep pull on his coffee and leant back. "Leo has always tried to be the best – and trouble is his forte. He's a slippery bastard who over the years has been implicated in lots of things – gun running, drugs, blackmail, arson, grand theft – but so far no-one has ever managed to pin anything on him. Believe it or not, Nayeli is good for him. She's a total bitch and I wouldn't bet against her in a fight, but she's tempered him, but every now and then he does something to try and impress her. I think today's little stunt was part of that."

o0o0o0o0o0o

Ranger dialled Tank's number "What's this about Leo and his bitch?" he growled out.

"S'k Ranger. Chill, it's all under control."

"No it's not! He shouldn't be anywhere near her. God, they could screw with her the way they did with Rachel. I know Rachel disowned them after the damage was done and the part they played in it came to light. But it took a long time for her to come to terms with the trust that had been broken. No-one expects a friend to do what Nayeli did."

"Yeah, but you coulda kept it in your pants, that mighta helped..." Tank snorted.

"Oh just fuck off!" Ranger said obvioulsy bored with the comment, like he'd heard it once or twice before.

Tank sniggered , he worked out long ago that it wasn't a good idea to bait the tiger too much about what went down that night and figured that perhaps he was pushing his luck so decided to change the subject slightly. "Baron's at the Batcave at the moment. He's just texted me to say he's gonna stick around for a while just to make sure they don't come back. Where are you? Do you want to go relieve him?"

"Just got my papers so I'm outta here. I can get transport to Miami so I could be there in just over two hours. Tell him I'll take over when I get there."

"Sure. Be gentle with our girl, she's been through enough recently."

"Tank?"

"Yeah?"

"Fuck off, will ya?" Ranger snapped back and put the phone down before he could hear Tank's inevitable laughter.

His phone went ping to advise him of an incoming message and he rolled his eyes as he read "I meant it! Play nice!"

He rolled his eyes, thinking that his Babe would be impressed at his maturity as he headed off to find a ride to the airstrip.

o0o0o0o0o0o

Steph was whooping Baron's ass at ski jumping on the Wi so missed Ranger's textbook-perfect parachute landing on the beach just outside the Batcave.

"Is this a closed game or can anyone play?" he asked the two combatants as he stepped through the large bi-fold patio doors.

"Ranger!" Steph yelled, dropping her control so that her Mi went hurtling down the slide on her shoulder causing the audience to boo, as she threw herself at him.

"Good to see you're aware of your surroundings, Baron." He grinned out from beneath Steph's curls.

"Nah, heard you coming in. Where did you stash your parachute?"

"You parachuted in?" Steph asked in amazement.

"Yeah, and you were too engrossed to notice – I'm hurt." He said, pretending to pout.

Steph giggled and before either of them could work out what she was doing, she grabbed his face with both hands and kissed the pout away. Suddenly realising what she'd just done she started to pull away in horror at her forwardness and began to apologise.

Ranger smirked and put a finger over her lips to stop her. "Any time, Babe."

She smiled weakly back at him and extricated herself from his arms.

"Well, now that the cavalry has arrived, I'm gone." Baron said with a glint in his eye.

"I'll swing by tomorrow to touch base before I head back to Trenton." Ranger replied as his focused returned to Steph.

Neither of them noticed Baron's disappearance as Steph gave him her best Burg stare "Want to tell me when you were going to let me know this was the Batcave?" she asked, crossing her arms and taking up a very aggressive stance in the middle of the room, next to the coffee table.

Ranger sighed and sat down. Dios! Why was everything so complicated with this woman, he thought as he watched his planned speech go sailing out the window.

"Babe."

"Oh no you don't, buster!" she gritted out. "One word answers are totally out of bounds right now. I knew this was your special place when I found your things."

"What things?" he replied totally confused. Anna had specifically been instructed to remove any traces of him before Steph had taken up residence. He was surprised that she'd miss anything.

"Well, there's the flag that smells of cordite and you, the photos, your Ranger's certificate..."

The penny dropped and he grinned as he realised he'd been set up "Santos!" he growled out.

"Don't go bringing your half brother into this..."

"You know he's my half brother?" Ranger said incredulously. Boy, the man _had_ been busy while he'd been away.

"Yeah, and that you have a twin you don't get on with. Anything else? Oh yeah, Baron is your cousin and you have two sisters Celia and Consuela." She sighed and plopped herself down on the couch.

"I get that you need your privacy, but in that case why suggest I come here and risk me finding out about you? I've learned more about you in the past three days than you've told me in the last four years."

Ranger just sat there, unable to say a word, he sensed she was on a roll and for once he was powerless to stop her.

Steph took his silence as consent to continue but part of her knew she wouldn't have been able to stop, even if she'd wanted to. She stood up and began to pace as she vented her feelings. "But what I don't understand is why now? I mean, I was all set to marry Joe less than _two week's_ ago. I've always wondered about us but your 'no relationship, condom-not-ring deal' always made me think you wanted nothing more than friendship."

She stopped, mid flow and just stood in the middle of the room again, looking down at him, her face filled with bewilderment and frustration. "I've cared very deeply about you for so long and never thought you felt even slightly the same. But now? I'm in the Batcave and you'd always said the Batcave was forever so I just don't understand any more, I'm so confused."

She started pacing again "Then two days ago I saw something and my world fell apart again. Here I was in the Batcave, with all that it could promise me and I thought I saw you with another woman. I lost it big time, Ranger! I was so quick to believe the worst. That you had lied to me. That you had a wife and a whole other life without me! What does that say? Why can't I seem to understand?"

"Because I don't tell you enough personal stuff? And I keep giving you mixed messages?" He replied, amusement flickering across his face.

"No! It means that I don't think I deserve you! You have spent the last God-knows how long protecting me, guiding me and giving me cars and Merry Men to break and yet I still can't bring myself to believe that you care for me."

She started running her hand through his hair absentmindedly and Ranger nearly lost it, he was all set to cart her off to his bed and show her just how much she meant to me when she whispered "I just don't how you can still have any faith in me." Which stopped him in his tracks.

He grabbed the first part of her he could reach, her legs, and pulled her towards him as he gathered his thoughts. Steph waited nervously, her heart pounding somewhere near her stomach so that the butterflies could use the rhythm to dance to, her hands gently resting on his shoulders as he rested his forehead just above her knees.

"Babe. I know I've always told you the truth, but sometimes I've omitted to fill in the gaps so the truth gets a bit distorted, no wonder you thought Leo was me." He nuzzled her leg playfully and sniffed in her eau de Bombshell deeply before continuing. "But I love you. Probably have for a long time, but my life has not always been my own and I didn't want you to be a widow or single parent because I was in the wind... I couldn't bear to think about the pain you would have to go through. Too many of my brothers in arms have left behind shattered families and believe me when I say I wouldn't wish it on any survivor. Well OK, maybe one or two..." he chuckled at his little joke before becoming serious again.

"I know I don't use words but actions to live my life – from how I feel to how I run my business, but with you the only way I could handle our connection was to do the one thing I am good at, actions. These days my resources are often deployed to protect you before I've even been aware that you needed my help. My team have always known my feelings for you, even when I didn't.

"Watching you walk down that aisle was the hardest thing I have _ever_ had to do and believe me when I tell you I've had my fair share of difficult situations to deal with. But I will never, _ever_ let you go again. I love you too much."

He looked up to see tears shining in her eyes "Babe. This time, let me use actions to show you my feelings, ok?"

She nodded tentatively as he shifted his position so that he was on his knees on the floor then he gently tugged her down next to him so that they were facing each other. Reaching into his pant's pocket he pulled out a small box.

"Marry me." He said simply as he opened the lid.


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks for all your wonderful reviews, they've made me really proud of this story!**

**Sorry for the delay in putting this chapter out but with the kids off on their annual summer holiday, things are a little busy and I haven't had time to polish my chapters as I would have liked. **

**Anyway, this one is short and sweet and the next one will be up tomorrow.**

**PLEASE NOTE, RATE CHANGE FROM THE NEXT CHAPTER ONWARDS. NOT FOR SMUT BUT FOR INFERRED LIFESTYLES THAT ARE DEFINITELY NOT FOR UNDER 18s (BUT WILL REMAIN INFERRED ONLY)**

The world slowed to a stop and for a few brief moments there was no sound.

He held his breath as he waited for her to answer.

She held her breath as she thought about what he had just said.

Both looked deep into each other's eyes for reassurance and found love in great quantity staring back at them.

Slowly Steph took Ranger's ring bearing hand in both of hers without breaking eye contact.

"Someday, ok?" She said gently as she closed the lid and curled their tangle of fingers over the deep brown leather of the case. Pulling gently she brought the box to her lips and kissed it lovingly before letting go and reaching for his face with both hands and placing a gentle kiss filled with thanks and longing on his soft, warm lips.

"I love you so much, Carlos." She said as her eyes shined with joyful tears, "but I think I need to get to know the man behind the mask a little better before I say yes. Don't you?"

Ranger smiled an almost smile "I love you, Querida and I'm yours for as long as you'll have me." He replied softly before pulling her back for another more passionate kiss.


	11. Chapter 11

**I know that last chapter was short and sweet but I didn't think it needed to be any longer - thanks to all those who left reviews. Many thanks to all of you who've added me to your alerts, it always makes me humbled to think that you want to read my stuff!**

**I'm changing the status of this story from now on in. There's not really any more detail than has previously been given, but as there are references and innuendos to more kinky sex (pain from pleasure BDSM) I felt the need to move to an M rating. No explicit sex will occur in this story. Stop reading now if even the idea offends (that's all it will be though, just ideas, not explicit stuff!) **

The next day dawned late and lazy at the Batcave as Ranger held his forever woman in his arms.

Steph began to stir and so did a part of Ranger's body that now stood to attention (just like the good little soldier that it had been all night) as they'd spoken and acted out their feelings for each other. "Down boy" he thought. The fact that she was now stretching out her limbs and arch her back was not helping matters.

"Morning, lover." She crooned huskily as she blinked awake before twisting slightly to look at him and pulling out if his arms. Glancing down at the parts of him that were definitely wide awake she smiled sleepily. "Batman, you're insatiable, good job I'm off sugar!" she stage whispered as she quickly slid out of bed and stroked him with her finger before walking away seductively to take care of business. He missed her grin as she heard him groan out "You'll be the death of me, Woman!"

Carlos smiled as he scooted up the bed and leant back against the headboard, putting his hands behind his neck as last night danced through his head. Parts of him were sad that she'd said no to his proposal, but most of him knew why she'd made that decision and was happy to respect her for it. Despite her refusal, they'd pledged their love to each other over and over again and that was enough. For now.

He was determined that she would get to know more about him so that she had all the facts before he proposed again.

He would give it three months.

By his reckoning Mission 'Get Steph to say yes' should take no more than three months.

As it was now the end of September he'd ask her again on New Year's Eve. A happy, Cheshire cat grin replaced his almost smile as he waited for his woman to come back from the bathroom. "My woman!" he rolled gently across his tongue. Dios! That sounded so right and now that it was a fact rather than a rumour he'd put about to protect her, he knew he could never let her go again.

Soft padding noises greeted his ears before he saw 'his woman' slide back into the room.

"Hi Honey, I'm back, did you miss me?" she said grinning at the contented man staring at her naked form.

"More than you know, let me show you just how much" he replied huskily, turning slightly so that she could see just how pleased he was to see her.

"Mmmm" was her only reply as she got back between Ranger's sinfully smooth sheets and straddled his hips before leaning down to kiss him.

o0o0o0o0o

"So" said Baron "You're in charge for the rest of the week, eh?"

"Looks that way. got a text from the man himself this morning, aparently he's offline again" Tank replied smiling "He's finally gotten his head out of his ass and I think he's gonna give Bomber the grand tour of his past haunts."

"Should be interesting" Baron chuckled.

"I reckon he'll show her _all_ of it." Tank added.

"Really? Looks like he's in this for keeps then."

"Oh I think so. 'Bout time, too. He's been in love with her for most of the time he's known her."

"Then why wait so long?"

"I think he kept wondering if she'd ever choose him over the cop. After all, he'd given her enough hints as to his feelings. New cars, access to his apartment on Haywood, a job, body guards..."

"Yeah, you think she'd have worked it out, wouldn't you. I thought you said she's bright!"

"Yeah, but he's also pulled some stupid stunts."

"Like?"

"Telling her she was a line item on his budget. Under entertainment."

"Ah."

"Yeah, exactly."

There was silence for a while as they both thought about their comrade in arms and his woman.

"Think I'll keep the team away for the time being, wouldn't want to look like we're checking up on him to make sure he doesn't blow it this time." Baron added, stroking his chin as he imagined what woud happen if Ranger caught any of his men, and no doubt he would...

Tan grunted his approval of his plan then the two men hung up and got on with running Ranger's business for him.

o0o0o0o0o

Nayeli was bored. Really bored. And when she was bored she did things that usually made Leo angry.

Today was the first month's anniversary of their wedding so she decided she was not going to make him angry. Much as she loved his feral side in their playroom she didn't want him to get nasty or violent, today was a day for playful teasing and happy, lots of happy. Perhaps later she'd let him 'punish' her anyway, she grinned as she thought of their vast array of impact the toys, her nipples started to stiffen at the idea.

She glanced at the clock, it was just after one, she had plenty of time to kill so needed to focus on something else. A gift, she'd buy Leo a gift to celebrate! He'd said he'd be home at five so she knew she could really come up with a great present. Although he hadn't told her what he was up to, she knew he was meeting with a few of their business partners to discuss their pimping interests and the livestock in their pens. Perhaps that should be her gift - a good looking girl to strap to their table might be a nice present for her man. Nah, she'd done that too recently for it to be the main present, but maybe worth considering if nothing else came up.

She looked out the floor length window that gave her a great view of the beach from where she was sitting in the lounge and pushed away the half eaten wrap she'd prepared earlier. She'd known at the time she'd not eat all of the chicken salsa with guacamole combo – too many calories – but she'd allowed herself a little indulgence, after all, today was a day for excitement and celebration.

As she tidied up her lunch into the bin her thoughts turned to certain parts of his estranged family. Why she'd ever thought Carlos was like Leo was beyond her – he was too goody-two-shoes for her tastes. So when she had a chance to cause trouble and smear his reputation she'd taken it - just for the fun of it - after all, for some reason Leo's twin just annoyed the hell out of her.

They'd all met up about six months before Ranger escaped Leo's influence and ran away and joined the army where he'd become all moral and law abiding – yuk! She'd quite liked the idea of a threesome with him in the wild days pre-army but as soon as he'd gone all respectable she'd lost all interest in taking her ideas any further.

She grinned as she remembered helping Leo puncture the condom... She idly played with her hair as she remembered the look on 'Stupid Rachel the Virgin's' face when she'd looked at the lines on the pregnancy tester kit. All the time she'd been pretending to care she'd really been laughing on the inside – oh such days of fun!

Carlos may have gone on to have lots of fancy cars and a coupla great looking homes, but he was saddled with a brat, alone, remote and boring. No way to live, she reckoned. The first time Leo had tied her down and taken his belt to her she'd nearly died in ecstasy, who knew she was such a pain slut! She lived for the adrenalin and power games they played and that was why Leo was her drug of choice and had been for so long. At the time, she'd doubted Ranger even knew what to do with his dick so when he and Rachel became an item, she saw her way to creating trouble.

If only they'd not been caught yesterday, she thought. It would have been great to leave a mark on her sainted brother-in-law's beach house. He may have the accessories needed for a great life, but he didn't seem to have anything else to go with it and for a fleeting second she felt sorry for him.

Then she sneered at the sentiment as she picked up her purse and headed down to the beach.

She'd seen a really pretty shell necklace that would go really well with the dress Leo had bought her a couple of days ago. She'd buy it then go get pampered, might even try the new jewellery craze bejazzeled, jazjewelled or whatever it was as her gift to her husband and still be back in plenty to time to prepare herself for a romantic dinner somewhere followed by some intense time in their playroom.

Not long after, she arrived at the stall that she seen a few days earlier. Damn! The red necklace she'd seen was gone and nothing else was quite right. Turning to leave she heard the sound of someone laughing. Initially she thought it was Leo but quickly realised that it was almost but not quite the same sound. Dipping behind the mirror she'd been glancing in moments earlier, she peered round.

She did a double take as she watched the scene unfold then grinned "Well, I'll be..." she muttered under her breath then backed away quickly and quietly before heading off to her favourite salon to be pampered and to think, plot and plan.

o0o0o0o0o

"Mmmm, Carlos." Steph grinned "That was delicious. What did you say it was again?"

"Nuh uh! You need to read it out loud off the menu, Babe! In some weird masochistic way I love how you butcher the Spanish language. Although I will need to teach you how to say things properly before we meet my parents but it's kinda sweet how you mangle the pronunciation with your Jersey accent."

Steph playfully giggled and because the round table was so small she reached over slightly and swatted his arm. "You're horrible!" she added giggling more, which only made Ranger tilt his head back and roar with laughter.

Steph smiled at the sound her man was making and it made her heart swell with joy then she leaned in and kissed him gently.

"I think you need to stop laughing at me and help me out here, please?" she beamed as she pulled away, waving the thick menu card in front of him.

He swiped it out of her hand and pretended to look for the item she'd just eaten. "Ok, Babe. Copy me... Red."

"Oh, come on Ranger! I think I know that word!"

"Red." He repeated again more forcefully with a glint in his eye.

"Red." Steph repeated crossing her arms and glaring at him which made him grin.

"Mullet." He said, playfully.

"Ranger!" Steph said petulantly.

"Mullet." He repeated with a smile creeping over his handsome face.

"Mullet!" she replied trying to glare and not laugh at the same time.

"Escabèche!" he said theatrically.

"Escabèche" she repeated with a flourish and a grin.

"See, it's easy when you have a great teacher, well done, Babe!" Ranger grinned "I think you need a reward for that" he added, his eyes darkening.

Steph leaned across the table. "Nuh uh! You promised me a glimpse of your past." She said seductively "before you try and suck me into your future."

Ranger kissed her on the nose. "So I did, and I'm going to keep my promise" he added raising an eyebrow as he waived for the bill. She had no idea about his New Year's Eve goal...

o0o0o0o0o

Nayeli stood in front of the mirror and admired the jewels that now adorned her lower body. She slipped on a delicate gold coloured bra and panty set that would hide the newly added sparkling adornments before stepping into her new deep crimson dress and zipping up the side. Sliding her feet into her 4" sparkly black FMP's she squirted some perfume onto her cleavage and moved to her full length mirror. She turned to gaze at the different angles of her reflection and smiled at what she saw.

A tall willowy figure stared back in a dress with tiny spaghetti straps that hugged her upper body but flared out as it reached her hips. The skirt was mid thigh length with splits that went to just below her panties but which were not obvious until she twirled, which she proceeded to do. She flicked her hair over her shoulders so that it cascaded down her back. Long, black and shiny.

"Beautiful" she heard a soft voice murmur from behind her.

"How long have you been standing there?" she asked the tall, beautiful man she saw in the mirror as he leant against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. He looked good enough to eat in his black dress pants and pale blue shirt, open at the neck so that she could see the heavy gold necklace that he wore.

"Long enough for you to have an effect on me" he growled, as he stalked over to her and rubbed his 'effect' into her ass.

She turned and laced her hands behind his neck as she pulled him into a lust filled kiss. "We need to go out to go out now, or we'll never leave" she panted as she pulled away. "I have a wonderful anniversary present for you, my sweet, but it's more of an opportunity than a tangible gift." She said, giving him a calculating look. "Let's discuss it over dinner – I have plans for us later than won't necessarily involve me speaking." She added as she cupped him through his trousers and gave him a swift, hard squeeze.

Leo growled in response and licked his lips, aroused both physically and mentally. He gathered he was in for a night of surprises. Wonderful, he thought happily as he grabbed her proffered hand and steered her out of their large, airy apartment.

o0o0o0o0o

Walking back from the beach front, their fingers entwined, Steph knew she was with the right man and in the right place. Part of her wanted to grab his ring and slam it onto her finger, but part of her was loving the effort Carlos was making to open up and let her in. She looked over at him and liked what she saw. Very much.

His baggy mid calf gray linen pants sat low on his hips and teamed up beautifully with his white linen shirt which hung open, fluttering in the slight breeze and giving tantalizing glimpses of the muscles beneath. His hair was loose and hung down behind his broad shoulders perfectly, completing the Adonis look that he mastered so easily. But what made everything so perfect was that he had left his blank face back at the Batcave and had been relaxed and playful all day. This was the man she wanted to really get to know better.

She squeezed his hand. "Thank you." She said softly as she gazed at his beauty.

"What for?" came the puzzled reply.

"For giving us a chance."

Ranger looked at his future and smiled. All day they'd teased and played and from the moment they'd woken they'd had fun and been relaxed. This was the way he wanted to be with his Babe.

The simple pale blue sun dress that she wore showed off her long legs and accentuated her tiny frame. She wore no makeup and had allowed her curls to flow freely round her face. He didn't think she'd ever looked more beautiful than she did at that moment.

Pulling her hands to his lips he kissed them gently. "It should be me thanking you. After all, you gave this total idiot a second chance."

He wrapped his arm round her neck and pulled her into his side. He heard her sigh, happily, as she wrapped her arm under his and up his back, between his shoulder blades. Kissing her hair, he continued to hold her tight all the way back to the Batcave.

He grinned to himself, he realised for the first time ever he was a very very happy man.


	12. Chapter 12

**Thanks as ever for your reviews, they did make me write faster but as it's the holidays we've been out and about quite a lot so I've not been able to sanity check this chapter as quickly as I would have liked.**

**This chapter contains references to BDSM - don't read if you don't like the idea. But as I said, only refences, nothing explicit.**

**Anyway, here we go again...**

Sitting down at the quiet table on the small veranda of their favourite Mexican restaurant, Nayeli looked out over the myriad colours of the sunset as it reflected off the sea. She sighed deeply as she gazed at the pinks, oranges and golds that streaked across the sky. Gifts from a departing sun as it promised another beautiful day tomorrow.

Could tonight be any more perfect? She thought as she twined her fingers in those of her husband's then glanced at the menu.

"You seem very happy" Leo said, raising an eyebrow and smiling seductively as he pulled her fingers to his lips and kissed each tip.

"I am." She replied. "I've known you for twelve years, been married to you for a month and have the perfect gift to give you to celebrate with."

"Tell me more, Querida", he purred, clearly intrigued as he sucked a finger into his mouth, causing her to groan slightly and squirm in her seat.

"What's six foot tall, with hair just like yours and was spotted earlier today at Larios' where he was laughing and having an intimate lunch with a woman he calls 'Babe'?" she asked as she ran her eyes idly down the menu, pretending to be interested.

"I would say my twin, but he's not into laughing or relationships and lives in Trenton so... I don't know. Tell me." A look of curiousity and playfulness dancing behind his eyes. She was up to something. He liked it when she was plotting.

"Well as it happens, you're wrong. It would appear your twin does indeed have a girlfriend, a sense of humour and is here in Miami." She said as she leaned back, pulling her hand from his and giving him a smug look.

"Well, well, well!" Leo said with a calcuating smile. "Would you, by any chance, be linking my gift to this information? Knowing you, you've been hatching a plan and I'm intrigued as to what it might be." He said, his pants tightening in anticipation of whatever she'd been plotting.

"Well now..." she said with an innocent look on her face "I _had_ planned to give you Selena to play with I know how much you enjoy her, but I think I may have a new fresh toy for you. You do like brown curly hair, don't you?" she added, still looking innocently at him.

He growled softly before adding "You'll be the death of me, woman!"

Smiling sweetly, Nayeli leaned forward and dropped her voice just in case someone was listening "I don't know how long they're here for so I think we need to pick her up sooner rather than later, don't you? Perhaps we could get the boys to get her this evening and while we're waiting perhaps we could warm up your aim." She added as she ran her shoe up and down the front of his now straining pants.

Leo gulped then opened his phone "Perhaps Baron wasn't at Carlo's house because we tripped the alarm after all." He said pointedly then made a quick call to one of his men. "If they find them they'll pick her up tonight. She can go out first thing with the rest of the shipment." He said as he closed down the call. "Now let's take a look at this menu, I think we may both need the energy later."

o0o0o0o0o

Ranger lay on his side, gazing at the woman next to him and couldn't believe how lucky he was.

The moon shone through the sheer fabric covering the window and bathed her in light, making her glow . "My angel" he said softly then placed a kiss on her forehead. They'd had a wonderful time together but Trenton was calling and they needed to consider going home. He wanted her to move in with him, there was no way he would sleep in his apartment ever again without her. Not now they'd confessed their feelings.

He sighed as a smile crept over his face. He knew he would have to ask he nicely, throw in a few 'pleases' and tempt her with Ella's cook...

A familiar, but unexpected smell, invaded his nose, stripping his mind of the plans he'd been making as he tried to identify what it was. His last conscious thought was "chloroform!" as his body succumbed to its effects.

o0o0o0o0o

The meal had been a pleasant an intimate one, the sunset sublime. But there was a need that craved to be satisfied which had escalated the event to a different level. Leo paid the bill quickly and had his wife home in less than half the time it should have taken, parking quickly in the underground lot.

Stepping out from the car, Leo walked round to Nayeli's side and opened the door. She was waiting expectantly with her hands in her lap and her head bowed.

"Excellent, Pet." Leo said as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a leather choker. "Kiss it." He commanded.

She leant forward and reverently kissed the thick but supple hide.

"Out" he commanded softly, stepping back slightly to give her room.

Once she was out he removed the white gold necklace she had been wearing and wrapped it round her offered up wrists. Stepping round the back of her he whispered "Mine" as he licked then kissed the nape of her neck before wrapping the collar round and buckling it close over her now wet skin. "Playroom. Now" he commanded softly as he locked the car up and followed her rapidly disappearing form.

o0o0o0o0o

Steph woke up slowly and blinked, her head full of dull throbbing pain. Moving slightly it was clear she was no longer wrapped in Ranger's arms, nor between his sinfully silky sheets. A thin fleecy blanket was her only cover and that was tightly wrapped round her like a sleeping bag.

She sat up quickly and immediately regretted it as her head began to spin and her stomach protested at the sudden movement. She lay back down and tried to take in her surroundings in the sullen moonlight that trickled in past the edges of the small blinds at the tops of the walls. She could see no pullcords so figured she was stuck in the almost dark for a while longer anyhow.

"Ranger?" she whispered out softly, hoping that it was all a bad dream.

An eerie silence was her only reply.

Trying not to panic she sat up again, more slowly this time to allow her body to get used to the motion. Once she felt sure she could stand she unwrapped herself, slipped down off the bed she was on and started to investigate the room. She soon found the light switch but decided against turning it on in case it alerted anyone to her awakened state.

The room was a good size and pretty much square and in the half light she could make out one whole wall of doors. The other three walls were unadorned and the floor was concrete. Opening one of the doors she found a rack which appeared to be covered in horse riding equipment. Puzzled, she moved to the next one which showed a chest full of shallow drawers. Opening the first one she came to she tentatively started to feel around for the items within. She gasped as her hand closed round a long, rubber phallic shaped object, realising that it bore a remarkable resemblance to the Herbie Horsecock Lula had bought her. Quickly shutting the drawer she opened another and found soft fabrics. Further confused, she opened another and let out a sob. Stepping back she crashed to the floor, the handcuffs she'd found within still clutched tightly in her hand.

o0o0o0o0o

Ranger groaned mentally as he slowly came to, his mouth felt like the inside of a bird cage and his head was pounding, the smell of chloroform long since gone, even if its effects weren't. He opened his eyes slightly and discovered that he was naked and sitting slumped in a corner of a wooden shack with his wrists cuffed behind his back. Luckily his legs were free.

Whoever had tied him up was a stupid fucker he decided as he scanned the room from under his hair to take in his surroundings. Seeing a man on the opposite side of the room, leaning against a small wooden table on the phone deep in conversation he released himself and remained still, keeping his breathing soft and even as if still out for the count.

He concentrated on what the man was saying.

"Yeah. She's in the playroom at the warehouse." said a Hispanic sounding voice.

"..."

"Yeah, Episilon, where the latest batch are waiting for export. She's in room 109."

"..."

You're welcome. Give her one for me. She's sure got a great ass and nice tits." He chuckled out, maliciously.

He turned briefly to look at Ranger then dismissed him as he settled further back on the table edge, leaning back slightly as he crossed his ankles. "Yeah, he's here, should be waking up soon. He's gonna feel like shit after the extra we gave him."

"..."

In response to whatever the other person had just said he hauled himself up, walked over and casually prodded Ranger with the toe of his black leather boot. Ranger groaned softly and flexed as if starting to come round. The man walked away "I was right, he'll be up for a bit of fun shortly. Ramon and his boys like a nice bit of ass and they'll probably feed him to the pigs when they've had their fill."

Ranger heard the sounds of a heavy vehicle approaching in the distance on a stony or gravel driveway. Ranger calcuated he had maybe two minutes tops before they arrived.

"Sounds like they're here. Gotta go." He added as a parting comment as he flipped his cell shut. He then started to move off towards the door at a leisurely pace, but was stopped by a blow to the back of his head that dropped him like a stone.

Picking up the phone and his captor's gun, Ranger quickly secured the man to a radiator then disappeared outside, his goal to round up 'Ramon and his boys', put some pants on then go save his girl.

o0o0o0o0o

"Yo" Tank said sleepily.

"That's my line."

"Yeah, well as I'm technically you at the moment I can use whatever words I like." Tank huffed out, turning over in his bed to look at his alarm clock. 0330 hours it happily reported. He grimaced, whatever Ranger was calling him about was not good. How's Bomber?" he asked warily.

"Gone." Ranger replied stonily.

"Gone!" Tank spat out as he sat bolt upright "What the fuck did you do this time? No, don't tell me, you told her you..."

"Shut the fuck up, man!" Ranger hissed back "She's been kidnapped by my _wonderful_ brother."

Tank stared at his phone in disbelief. "Tell me you're kidding, right?" he grunted out, running his hand over his face.

"I wish! He's got her stashed in one of his playrooms, somewhere on Epsilon. I Know it's miles long, but pull up anything you can find on him, I want to know what properties he has any ties to. Get Baron to start digging on the streets. Someone knows where he's hidden her. Fuck! She may not be quite as vulnerable as Rachel was but he likes to break what's mine! He's a kinky bastard, and I have a distinct feeling that he won't be giving her any safewords to use..."

"Calm down, Carlos. We'll find her, ok? Where are you?"

"Not sure, get whoever's on monitors to triangulate this call. I'll leave this cell open. I just need to find some pants..."

"Sorry?"

"Don't ask. I'll explain later. Get the PD down to wherever I am right now. There's a whole bunch of people waiting to meet with them. I'll stay here till they arrive, but I need to find her Tank. She's my life, you know?"

"Sure thing. Sit tight. Baron will be with you asap."

Dawn was just breaking and as Ranger stood watching the first tentative signs of a new day creep across the horizon he ran his fingers through his hair "Where are you, Babe?" he whispered sadly.

o0o0o0o0o

Nayeli stretched and groaned as her stiffening limbs protested.

"Looking good, Pet. Guess you're gonna be sore for a while." Leo said as he gently removed her collar and started to apply lotion to the red marks on her buttocks before moving to address the ones at the tops of her thighs.

"So worth it though. Thank you, Master." She purred as she relaxed into his ministrations.

"Playtime's over, it's just you and me now, okay?"

"Hmmm, OK Lover..." came the satisfied reply.

Leo smirked at a job well done and moved away from the bed to put the necklace away just as his phone rang, so he moved to the nightstand to answer it.

Moments later he returned to her side and squatted down. "Gotta go, looks like my present has arrived." He said, smiling.

"Have fun." She purred out as she relaxed further into the bed. "Show her how good you are with the crop, for me?" she added as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

o0o0o0o0o

The door opened slightly and the silhouette of a man slid in, closing the door quietly behind him.

"Babe? You in here?" he whispered softly.

He heard her moan out 'yes' and he grinned evilly as he slipped over in the direction of the sound, his pants tightening as he heard the distress in her voice.

"It's me. You ok?" he asked, pretending to sound worried, as he slipped down to her side and began running his hands through her hair. She seemed to relax so he started to pull her up.

"Ranger?"

"Yeah, let me check you over properly then we'll get you outta here, ok?" he whispered ever so softly in her ear so that she wouldn't tell the difference in his voice from his brother's.

Her breath hitched as he steered her over to a padded bench against one of the walls.

Pushing her back gently so that she was perched on the couch, he positioned his legs outside of hers then removed the handcuffs from her grip. "Thank God you're ok" he whispered as he leaned in to kiss her to distract her as he began to encircle one of her wrists with the metal bracelet he now held. Before he could snap it shut he let out a strangled grunt and dropped to the floor, cupping his now mangled groin and rocking back on forth.

"You may look like Carlos, but I can assure you you've got nothing on him, you bastard." Steph spat out as she crouched down and secured one of his ankles to a hook in the wall before he had time to react.

Once he was trapped she walked over to door frame and ran her hands along it looking for the light switch she knew was there and flicked it on. Immediately room was bathed in a subdued gray light and she looked round to check out her surroundings.

She'd been right, she thought grimly.

She was in a dungeon-like space with pulleys and chains hanging from the ceiling. The floor was scrupulously clean as if recently polished and she grimaced at the idea of what might have been there not too long ago. Her focus shifted back to the man lying on the floor, still a little dazed from having his gonads shoved up into his throat.

She wandered over to one of the cupboards and selected an item from it.

"Now, I think I'm a little underdressed and you've got plenty of clothes to spare" she said as she rounded on him, a nasty looking whip in hand. "Take off your shirt, now!" she commanded as she ran the leather and metal ends through her fingers.

o0o0o0o0o

Ranger slumped in his seat from his vantage point three buildings down as he looked over the parking lot of 'Dondo's LLC: Meat Packing and Distribution'. It's simply stated name was clearly a double entendre, making him wonder why they'd never picked up on it before and left him grimly wondering to himself whether the 'meat' in question had suffered the same fate as Leo had in store for Steph before being distributed to God-knows where.

He could sense her presence, not quite the spine tingles she normally gave him, granted, but the connection he'd denied for so long was pulling him towards her like a moth to a flame. However, according to his captor's comments moments before he'd decked him, she was not alone and perhaps as a bonus they'd even get to the bottom of the sex slave ring Leo was alleged to have going on.

Maybe they'd be able to file the fucker away for a very long time...

Gathering his thoughts he waited, time slowing down as his heart sped up with the thrill of the chase. Where the hell was Baron he wondered, his calm exterior masking the rage that threatened to overwhelm him at any moment.

"I'm coming, Babe." He whispered as he raised his eyes to God and prayed like never before that she was safe.

Moments later Baron pulled up behind him, four other Rangeman vehicles hot on his heels. He climbed out of his explorer and Lester, who'd been riding shotgun, exited right behind him as he crept over to Ranger who was now leaning against his car.

Ranger gave Lester a puzzled look as he got closer.

"Caught a chopper down, didn't think I'd miss this did you?" came the explanation before Lester turned to checking his equipment. He too owed his half brother a punch or two.

Once all the men were assembled and the plan discussed they headed for the warehouse. At a speed only made possible by their training, eleven men were suddenly set up strategically round the perimeter of the building.

Waiting for Ranger's signal.

At his nod and they went in.

A startled alarm was raised as the first guard fell then all hell broke loose as the special ops trained men began doing what they were good at.

o0o0o0o0o

Steph's head turned towards the door as she heard the gun fire. The niggling feeling of hope now giving way to the usual reaction her body gave when Carlos was near.

She grinned down at Leo as he pulled angrily at the cuff that tied him to the wall. She could tell he wasn't happy at the situation and grinned at him. "Not too happy with being restrained, I see? Does it scare you that you can't escape?" She taunted. "I wonder how many other poor souls you've beaten between these walls. On second thoughts, I'd rather not know." She added, disgust dripping from her voice. "Maybe some people get off on this sort of thing, but I reckon you're just a great big bully who likes to beat up defenceless women for his own pleasure. What the hell happened to you to make you so evil?" she added as she squatted down to his level, but just outside his kicking distance. The tails of his shirt hiding her body from his view.

"Fucking bitch, I'll get you for this" was her only reply.

"You don't get it do you?" she added in a goading voice. "You figured that as long as you looked the same as Carlos I'd be drawn into whatever sick plan you had in mind. Thing is, you forgot one slight detail."

He looked quizzically at her through sullen eyes. Apart from their noses, which were slightly different shapes, and their voices – Ranger's was deeper, they were practically identical so he couldn't work out how she'd been able to tell them apart in the dark.

Steph rubbed the back of her neck "Ah, here comes my hero now." She said as she stood up and moved back so that Ranger would be able to see his brother immediately he entered the room.

Hearing the door open she looked at Ranger pointedly "It's all in the tingles."

"Proud of you Babe." Came Ranger's husky reply as she launched herself into his arms.

**Just the epilogue to go now guys. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter - let me know what you think... Please? :-)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Epilogue...**

Once Ranger and his men had secured the building they found a small room behind one of the main meat refrigerators with seven very frightened latino women in it. None of them spoke English but with a lot of coaxing Lester discovered that they'd all fled parts of the Southern Americas with the promise of better things. Records hidden in the main office provided the names and fates of over a hundred other women and eight 14-16 years olds who'd be 'processed' at the plant.

Baron managed to find an additional file in a safe in the janitor's cupboard of Leo's apartment which was written in a complex code. Months later when it was deciphered it provided additional dates, venues and ring leaders that blew the whole sex slave ring out of the water - information that would eventually help to recover many of the woman who'd been 'processed' at the factory. The money recovered as a result of the information the file contained was used to provide support and counselling to all those affected, both the victims and their families.

Leo was sentenced to life but only lasted for three years – he was killed in a riot that he himself had started. Seems that Baron had been right when he said that Nayeli tempered him - it would appear that without his weekly sessions with her to focus his volatile temper he lost the plot completely and quickly spiralled out of control.

The Manoso family mourned not for the death of their son, but for whatever it had been that had taken him from them so many year's earlier.

Nayeli tried to escape but was caught as she tried to board a plane to the Bahamas. She spent seven and a half years in prison and fled abroad at the first opportunity. She moved to Jamaica and was never heard from again.

Ranger still planned to let Steph into his life more so that at New Year's Eve she would say yes to his repeated proposal but Steph beat him to it - by three months and four days - she proposed as they walked away from the scene of the crime that night and Ranger rammed the ring on her finger later that night.

Joe dated Tiffany. Properly. With meals out, flowers and everything. He quickly introduced her to Bob, but waited a little longer to take her to visit with his mother. When they had dinner with Bella she threatened to put a curse on her – "marry my grandson or else!" She hissed over the dessert. So she did a year later.

They had a set of twin girls, Yvette and Naomi with fiery red hair and the combined temper of their colouring and their Italian heritage. Joe went gray at 35 and bald not long after but always had a grin on his face.

**Current day:**

"Push! Come on, Babe!" Ranger pleaded with his tired and sweaty wife. He squeezed her hand and whispered more words of encouragement, this time in Spanish.

Moments later their bundle of joy made an appearance, covered in blood and very unimpressed at being taken from its warm, dark home. The midwife held the now screaming baby "It's a boy!" she smiled out and the three adults grinned at each other.

Ranger cut the cord and immediately little Xavier Frances Manoso was whisked away by the assistant midwife to be checked over.

"Looks like he's perfect" the midwife said as she handed him to his mother for feeding. Immediately Steph held the swaddled bundle to her breast where he snuggled in and latched on.

"Babe" Ranger said, grinning from ear to ear "He's perfect, just like you." He said, with the hint of a tear in his eye as he gazed at first his wife then his son.

Steph leant over and cupped his face with her free hand and rubbed her thumb over his stubbled jaw "I love you, Carlos." she said as tears rolled down her face "Did I break anything?" she added, gesturing to his fingers which she had spent the three hours trying to snap.

"No, but I think you may have dislocated something." He replied smiling as he caressed his son's nose affectionately and flexed his fingers.

"Good!" she replied playfully before sinking back onto the bed and closing her eyes.

"Be good for Mommy!" Ranger said as he whipped out his phone "Better update the troops. Shall I send in your father? I think he's worn a hole in the corridor."

" No" said the midwife, firmly "Frank can wait until they're both cleaned up and settled."

"Mom!" Steph said petulantly then smiled.

**Well that's all for now folks. Can't believe it's the end. Please leave me your feedback – I'll use it to help refine the next story...**


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